Due to a scheduling quirk, Atlantic division foes, Toronto and Boston, will play again tonight after facing each other yesterday at the Air Canada Centre. The Celtics and Raptors will tip things off at 7:30pm ET this evening at the TD BankNorth Garden in Boston, MA. NBA Picks at BetUS.com have the Raptors listed as a +10 against the spread road underdog.
Toronto has played a decent brand of basketball since ringing in the new year, going 4-2 in their first six 2009 games, but they still sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division with a 16-22 overall record. The Raptors, who are 5-5 in their last 10 games, lost to the Celtics yesterday 88-94 in Toronto, despite a fourth quarter charge where they outscored Boston 33-19.
After splitting a two-game home stand, the Raptors will briefly hit the road for a one-game stop in Boston. Toronto is just 8-12 away from home this season and just 2-6 against division opposition. They are averaging 95 points per game in opposing arenas, while allowing 99.8.
The Celtics snapped a four game losing streak yesterday in Toronto, moving their record to an impressive 30-9. While they trail both the Cavaliers and the Magic in the overall standings, they have a huge 11 game lead in the Atlantic division, despite their brief fall from grace. Boston begins a two game home stand tonight after playing four of their last five on the road.
Kevin Garnett and company, who dropped their last game at the Garden to Houston 85-89, will look to get back on track tonight. The Celtics are 18-2 at home this year and 7-1 in division play. Boston is holding opponents to just 42.2 percent from the field (second best in the league) and has allowed an average of 90.9 points per game at TD BankNorth.
NBA Picks Betting Trend: Toronto is 1-9 straight up in their last 10 games as a road underdog with a spread between 8 and 10.5.
BetUS.com's Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics NBA Picks:
Raptors +10 (-110), Over 186.5 (-110), +425 (Money line)
Celtics -10 (-110), Under 186.5 (-110), -550 (Money line)
Insider Report: Look for quite a few points in this game tonight. Boston has been in a scoring funk of late, topping 100 points just twice in their last seven games, but they showed some signs last night that they may be ready to bust out. They shot just 41 percent from the field in yesterday's win, but they busted 50 percent behind the arc. A return home may be just what they need to light up the nets.
The Over is 7-3 in Toronto's last 10 games as a road dog with a spread between 8 to 10.5. The Over is 7-3 in Boston's last 10 games playing as a home favorite versus an Atlantic foe, coming off a road win.
