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Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors Free Pick & Preview

Hawks vs Raptors Online Betting Odds

The Atlanta Hawks will make the trip north of the border to the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday for a date with the Toronto Raptors. Atlanta makes the trip north having lost four in a row, while the Raptors got back into the win column on Monday after returning home from a five-game road trip.[ad-4468020]

Atlanta Hawks (25-25) at Toronto Raptors (27-24)
Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Air Canada Centre
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
O/U Odds: 200
Spread: Toronto -6.5

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ATS Matchup Insight | CappersPicks Insider Preview

The Raptors are happy to be home as the team has won nine of its last 11 games at the Air Canada Centre, and Wednesday’s showdown with Atlanta is going to go a long way in the standings as the Raptors look to hold off the Hawks and Bulls for the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings so as to ensure home court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Raptors have also been very kind to bettors during their recent turnaround, posting a 20-7-1 ATS mark in their last 28 games overall. They’ve also stepped up their play in a big way in the especially important games, posting a 17-5 ATS mark in their last 22 games versus Eastern Conference opponents.
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The Hawks have won eight of their last 10 trips to Toronto, including a 102-95 victory earlier this season, but they haven’t faced the new-look Raptors just yet, as that win came way back on Nov. 1, well before the Rudy Gay trade which spurned Toronto’s turnaround. The Raptors’ defense let the team town in a few of their games out West, but that unit was back in fine form on Monday in a win over the Pelicans. The Raptors have surrendered the fifth-fewest points in the NBA.

As for the Hawks, this game is just as, if not more important for them as they look to climb back into the top half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture so as to gain home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The team fell flat on its face in the first of two crucial matchups on Tuesday, losing to Chicago 100-85. The Hawks really came apart at the end of that game, scoring just 15 points in the fourth quarter against the Bulls.

Toronto’s home court advantage has been just about non-existent in the team’s existence, but that’s changed in recent weeks, with the team playing strong defense and scoring efficiently in its own building. Meanwhile, Atlanta gets this game on the second night of a back-to-back, and with a break just in front of them, it would be tough to blame them for giving something less than an A-effort on Wednesday. The Hawks are 4-7 when playing the second game of a back-to-back this season.

The Raptors are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 home games.

The play: Toronto -6.5

By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!