Reigning WBA champions the Toronto Raptors kept their winning streak alive on Monday. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 137-126 to maintain their second place behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings’
The Raptors, Canada’s first-ever WBA champions, took their franchise-record winning run to 15, thanks in part to king-pin Kyle Lowry and OG Annunoby.
Both picked up double-doubles, Lowry with 27 points and 11 assists Annunoby with 25 points and 12 rebounds. D’Angelo Russell made his debut for the Timberwolves, contributing 22 points in 32 minutes.
It was another good day at the office for the champions, but it didn’t seem to have made much of difference in New Jersey sports betting circles.
The state’s sportsbooks continued to ignore the Raptors chances of retaining their NBA title this season. All had Toronto among their top 10 favorites on a list headed by either the LA Lakers or the Milwaukee Bucks – but only just.
Raptors down in 9th place on NJ sportsbook lists
Mostly the Raptors were in about 9th place with futures odds of around +2000 as against the favourites’ odds of around +300.
What will have probably have pleased the bookies most this week was that their favourites, the Lakers and the Bucks, continued to dominate.
This time it was the Phoenix Suns who came short against the Lakers. Anthony Davis’ double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds helped the Lakers cruise home to a 125-100 victory.
Rajon Rondo with 23 points on nine-of-13 shootings, and LeBron James with 17 points were the winners’ other major contributors.
Even without NBA MVP favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo (due to the birth of a son), the Milwaukee Bucks were able to easily ease home 123-111 in their match against the Sacramento Kings.
Khris Middleton (28 points and 11 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (28 points, eight rebounds and eight assists) did the most damage to the Kings’ defence.
In other matches on Monday
- Jamal Murray had 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter of the Denver Nuggets’ 127-120 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
- The Miami Heat overcame the Golden State Warriors 113-101. Jimmy Butler finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
- Reggie Jackson went two-of-11 from the field in the Detroit Pistons’ 87-76 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
Monday’s NBA results:
Charlotte Hornets 87-76 Detroit Pistons
Brooklyn Nets 106-105 Indiana Pacers
Orlando Magic 135-126 Atlanta Hawks
Toronto Raptors 137-126 Minnesota Timberwolves
Milwaukee Bucks 123-111 Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz 123-119 Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets 127-120 San Antonio Spurs
Miami Heat 113-101 Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Lakers 125-100 Phoenix Suns
The @warriors pay tribute to 2015 Finals MVP and 3x champion @andre! ???? pic.twitter.com/CLZ734mNIW
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2020