Free NBA Pick: Pelicans vs. Raptors NBA Odds
Looking for New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Pelicans taking on the Raptors on Wednesday, December 23, at the Amalie Arena. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Pelicans Raptors matchup.
2020 NBA Handicapping
(0-0) New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors (0-0)
Date: Wednesday, December 23
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, Florida
NBA Moneyline Odds: Pelicans +165 | Raptors -190
NBA Betting Odds: Pelicans +4.5 | Raptors -4.5
NBA Betting Total: 229.5
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On Wednesday, December 23rd, the New Orleans Pelicans face the Toronto Raptors in what is both team’s first game of the 2020-21 season. A year ago these clubs opened the season as the Raptors received their rings and raised the championship banner.
Last season, the squads played twice with the Raptors taking both matches. Toronto holds the all-time record between the clubs with 25 victories in the team’s 39 meetings.
New Orleans Pelicans
Unlike opening night last year, Zion Williamson is healthy and will play in this match. David Griffin continued to make tweaks to the roster in his second season sending out fan favorite and captain Jrue Holiday to the Bucks.
Eric Bledsoe replaces Holiday and big man Steven Adams will be paired with Williamson in the frontcourt of the Pelicans in what is sure to become a tough duo to score on in the paint.
Most Improved Player Brandon Ingram was re-signed and will join forces with Zion Williamson as the Pelicans look to build for the future.
The other big move was bringing in new head coach Stan Van Gundy who’ll look to bolster the defensive depth and systems of the club.
Wenyen Gabriel (knee) and Will Magnay (personal) are both questionable for Wednesday.
Toronto Raptors
Due to border restrictions between Canada and the United States because of the pandemic, the Raptors can’t play their games in Toronto.
Subsequently, they are situated in Tampa Bay, Florida where they’ll remain for at least the first half of the 2020-21 campaign.
The Raptors were one of the teams hoping to recruit Giannis Antetokounmpo in free agency and it cost them as Masai Ujiri worked to keep cap flexibility for the 2021 offseason.
That resulted in Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol both exiting the 6ix. Ujiri shifted quickly to sign Aron Baynes and re-sign Chris Boucher.
Fortunately, the club took care of their top priority by re-signing Fred VanVleet and locking down OG Anunoby via a four-year $72 million rookie extension. And with those moves, Toronto still will enter the coming offseason with plenty of room to go after a big target.
To that end, the biggest fish on the market next summer will be the Raptors’ former superstar Kawhi Leonard. Imagine how crazy the situation would be if Ibaka opted out of his second year and convinced Leonard to run it back with the Raptors.
It’s highly unlikely, but stranger things have happened, and if things go south with the Clippers at least both players know what they have with Nurse and the existing developing core in Toronto.
NBA Betting Trends:
- Under is 8-2 in NO last 10 overall
- Road team is 24-7-1 ATS in the last 32 meetings.
- NO are 5-15-1 ATS in the last 21 meetings
Free New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors NBA Prediction:
The Raptors have the market cornered with it comes to discovering undersized guards with high IQ and strong defense. Their draft pick Malachi Flynn is yet another in this mold.
And while Toronto will once again be underrated their ceiling this year will depend on the growth of OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam’s bounce-back effort after a poor showing in the Orlando bubble.
As for the Pelicans, their future revolves around the rise of youngsters Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram and how well the team adapts to Stan Van Gundy’s defensive schemes.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Pelicans plus points
Tampa Bay is one of the few cities that can have fans attend, we’ll see how many snow birds (Canadians who retire in Florida) show up to support the Raptors.
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