Surprising to many, the Toronto Raptors find themselves atop the NBA Atlantic Division and the fourth best team in the Eastern Conference with a 29-25 record and straight up winners in seven of their last 10 games. They will be challenged tonight as the Indiana Pacers (29-24) roll into Toronto for a 7 p.m. EST game at Air Canada Centre that has the Raptors favored by a -4.0 chalk with the total set at 195 ½ at most offshore sportsbooks.
The Raptors have been a top team in betting circles covering the point-spread in seven of 10 games while the over has cashed in six of the Raptors last 10 games. At home the Raptors have not been spectacular against the spread by covering five of their last ten with one push.
Indiana has a 6-4 straight up record over its last ten games while going 4-5-1 against the spread. The best bet in games the Pacers have played over the last ten game stretch is for the over in totals betting with the over cashing six times.
Both teams have been getting peak production from their benches. The Pacers have gotten a particularly big lift from Marquis Daniels, while the Raptors have been getting premium production from forwards Morris Peterson and Andrea Bargnani and point guard Jose Calderon. This game could come down to a battle of the second units.
The Pacers are one of the few teams to have beaten the Raptors in recent weeks, claiming a 102-84 rout at home on Jan. 27 as Granger keyed a third-quarter burst by scoring 14 of his 18 points. The Raptors won the first meeting 92-83 at Air Canada Centre on Nov. 26 as Bosh scored 17 points and pulled 11 rebounds. The Pacers are 11-9 all-time in Toronto and lead the overall series 28-14.
