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NBA Predictions: 2014 Toronto Raptors Season Betting Preview

Raptors NBA Picks

Fresh off one of the best seasons in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors look to build on that momentum, with many of the same faces back, and the division once again ripe for the taking.

The team earned a franchise-best 48 wins in the regular season a year ago, and hope that the same core group can again lead the team into the postseason.

2014/15 Toronto Raptors
Eastern Conference
2013-2014 Record: 48-34
Odds to win Title: 50/1
Odds to win Conference: 20/1
Odds to win Atlantic Division: 1/1
Posted win total: 48.5
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Top Newcomers

The team didn’t do much in the offseason, with most moves helping the club to stand pat. Kyle Lowry was given a rich new contract to hang around, as were the likes of Patrick Patterson and Greivis Vasquez.

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General manager Masai Ujiri took a flier in the first round of the draft by bringing in a project player in Bruno Caboclo. He also acquired guard Lou Williams from the Atlanta Hawks.

Williams is the key addition. He’s coming off a down year in Atlanta in which he was recovering from a torn ACL. He was terrific with the 76ers during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season and the Raptors will be counting on his scoring touch off the bench.

Top Players

Point guard Kyle Lowry returns as the heart and soul of a team that wasn’t built to make the playoffs last season. His ability to defend at one end and create offense on the other makes him a perfect fit in head coach Dwane Casey’s system, even if the two don’t always see eye to eye.

Center Jonas Valanciunas has star potential, but shooting guard DeMar DeRozan is in a better position to hit the higher highs this season. Coming off of his first All-Star season, DeRozan has an ability to score at the rim and away from it.

Strengths

The Raptors have a great combination of sound, fundamental play and athleticism.

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That comes from a good mesh of youth and experienced players, and the specialists off the bench. Everything came together for the team last season, and they can compete with the group they currently have if they can bottle that magic and bring it to the court night in and night out.

Kyle Lowry has fit perfectly into Coach Casey’s philosophy and can be a great core player for this franchise for years to come. Terrence Ross and DeRozan form one of the better wing duos in basketball.

Weaknesses

At its very core this is still a team that built to tank last season. The front office did little to supplement the current roster by bringing in players to help out off the bench either through free agency or via trade.

The team was also terrible at getting points when they needed them at the end of games, and that starts with the plays drawn up by the head coach.

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This was never more evident than in the deciding game against Brooklyn, when the team looked lost and never really had a chance to score. They were also far too reliant on their ability to come back late in games, and need to get out ahead early and hold on to those leads.

4* FREE NBA Prediction: 43-39

This will be the Raptors’ 20th season in the NBA, and they have a chance to repeat as Atlantic Division champions with no other team really emerging as a runaway contender.

The team definitely has some pieces to build with, but it’s easier to like the team’s potential than their ability to win right now.

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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!