The Nets having Harden has been everything they could have wanted and more on the offensive side of the ball, but on the defensive side, it has been a roller coaster of a season. The Nets currently sit with the best offensive rating in NBA history while simultaneously having the worst defensive rating in NBA history. The win against the Clippers on Tuesday night was a huge step in the right direction as opposed to being swept by the Cavaliers in two straight games.
The Raptors have had a great season so far as the NBA model of consistency for the past 5 years or so. Pascal Siakam, who signed a max contract in the offseason, has struggled out of the gate. While fellow former bench player and former Undrafted free agent Fred Van Vleet is having the best season of his career. Van Vleet just broke the record for most points scored by an undrafted free agent with 54 points in one game, beating out legend Moses Malone.
Toronto Raptors Betting preview:
The Raptors are coming off of a two-game sweep of the Orlando Magic, but before those games, they went 2-4 in their previous six games. Players like Chris Boucher and Norman Powell have stepped up to make up for Siakam’s lack of production thus far this season. Boucher is averaging an efficient 13 points, 6 assists, and 2 blocks per game in just 22 minutes a night, while Powell has also been effective, getting 14 points, 2 assists, and 1 steal a night in 25 minutes of play.
The Raptors have seldom been the underdog in games this season, but as underdogs, they have covered four of the past six games where they were underdogs, and tonight is no different. With all three players who form the Big 3 in Brooklyn all playing tonight, it will be hard for them to cover, but Brooklyn has a tendency to let teams sneak in a backdoor cover via free throws late in games.
Brooklyn Nets Betting preview:
For breaking the NBA record for the best offensive team ever and breaking it for the worst defensive team ever in the same season while also winning games and sitting at 3rd in the eastern conference is something incredible. It shows you the James Harden effect on teams he plays for. The Nets are favored in this one by five points, and they have not covered a spread like that since the January 13th meeting between them and the Knicks.
The Nets are on a hot streak right now, winning five of their last six games, the only loss being that stunner against the Wizards. The Nets very rarely cover the spread, so I would stay away from the spread as much as possible and just stick with the over, which has hit in the past four out of five games. Nets moneyline is also a great bet because of the winning streak they’re on and the value at only -190.
Brooklyn vs. Toronto odds and lines:
Draftkings has the Nets favored by five points with an over/under of a whopping 240.
My free pick of the night is Nets over 240 and moneyline.
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