Free NBA Pick: Thunder vs. Raptors NBA Odds
Looking for Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Toronto Raptors free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Thunder taking on the Raptors on Sunday, April 18th, 2021, at 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 Thunder Raptors matchup.
2021 NBA Handicapping
(20-36) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Toronto Raptors (23-34)
Date: Sunday, April 18th
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, Florida
NBA Moneyline Odds: OFF
NBA Betting Odds: Raptors -11.5
NBA Betting Total: 220.5
On Sunday, April 18th, the Oklahoma City Thunder meets the Toronto Raptors for the second and final time this season. The Thunder won the initial meeting 113-103 occurring on March 31st.
When the teams last played the Thunder had a better record than the Raptors which speaks to the adversity Toronto has faced this season. It also points to the all-out tank effort OKC has committed to as they’ve lost nine games in a row since their victory versus the Raptors.
Last season, the squads played twice with each team winning one contest. The Thunder hold the all-time record having won 30 matches of the 48 played.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The tank is in full motion with the Thunder on a nine-game losing streak. Although they’ve witnessed the return of Darius Bazley and Canadian Luguentz Dort, their star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains out dealing with plantar fasciitis.
On Friday, head coach Mark Daigneault advised SGA isn’t progressing as quickly as the team hoped in his recovery based on imaging they received and will revisit his progress in two weeks.
That will push him to the start of May with only nine games remaining and with the Thunder trying to fall down the standings it makes sense they might just shut down their star for the remainder of the season.
Lu Dort produced his second great effort of the week producing 26 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block.
Bazley missed 16 games with a fracture in his scapula, returned four games ago, and registered 19 points and seven rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander (plantar fasciitis), Aleksej Pokusevski (arm), Josh Hall (knee), Mike Muscala (ankle), Gabriel Deck (not with team) are all expected to be out.
Toronto Raptors
Once again the Raptors were missing a significant portion of their core as Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent Jr., and OG Anunoby were out versus the Magic.
Fred VanVleet was back but still looked slowed by his hip flexor injury playing only 23 minutes. In the absence of so many starters, it afforded Raptors reserves an opportunity to seize the moment.
Paul Watson in his first-ever NBA start dropped a career-best 30-point effort on a highly efficient 10 of 13 from the field and 8 of 11 from deep and accomplished this in 26 minutes. Watson outscored the Magic 20-19 in the third quarter.
For the second time in five games, Yuta Watanabe produced a career-best scoring output with 21 points adding six rebounds and two assists.
Aron Baynes remains benched as Freddie Gillespie (10 points, seven rebounds) and Khem Birch (7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks) have replaced him.
The NBA fined the Raptors $25k for listing Lowry and Anunoby as resting instead of for a specific injury (odd given every team is guilty of doing this) so it’s not surprising their injury report was not summited Saturday.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The Thunder are 7-3 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
- The Thunder are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 head to head meetings
- Over/Under is 7-2-1 in the teams last 10 head to head meetings
Free Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Toronto Raptors NBA Prediction:
It was assumed the Raptors had tossed in the towel on the season but they’ve won two in a row in spite of missing the majority of their starters in both those matches and a win today will put them in sole possession of the 10th seed.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Thunder +11.5
Not knowing who suits up for Toronto it’s difficult to predict the winning margin, but OKC is more invested in losing so expect the Raps to get the “W”.
NBA Free Prediction: Raptors 114 – Thunder 105 (Bet Now!)
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