Free NBA Pick: Blazers vs. Raptors NBA Odds
Looking for Portland Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Blazers taking on the Raptors on Sunday, January 23rd, 2022 at Scotiabank 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 Blazers Raptors matchup.
2022 NBA Handicapping
(19-26) Portland Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors (22-21)
Date: Sunday, January 23rd
Time: 6:00 PM EST
Venue: Bankers Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
NBA Moneyline Odds: Blazers | Raptors (Bet Now!) Moneyline is off as of posting
NBA Betting Odds: Raptors -7.5
NBA Betting Total: 214.5
Sunday, January 23rd the Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors meet for the second and final time this season. Portland won the initial meeting 118-113 on November 15th in a highly competitive match.
Both teams played on Friday with the Blazers erasing a double-digit deficit to defeat the Celtics 109-104 while the Raptors cemented the season series versus the Wizards with a 109-105 victory.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are on a bit of an upswing lately winning five of their last seven matches. Arguably the best sign of their recent improvement is winning three of their last four road games (they have a total of five road wins).
Credit to Anfernee Simons who is showcasing why he deserves to be in the conversation for Most Improved Player. The big question is what Chauncey Billups does with Simons once Damian Lillard returns.
There are two options, return him to the bench and make him your Sixth Man, or start him and move Norman Powell to the bench. Both players are 6’3″ and Powell was in that role with his former team.
Ultimately, the situation may dictate what happens. If the Blazers have slid far out of contention for the playoffs it would behoove Portland to keep Simons in the starting rotation and get him more experience facing other starters.
With so many teams turning to lengthier guards the fact three Blazers are 6’3 (McCollum, Powell, Simons) and Lillard is 6’2 they are much smaller on a whole than their opponents.
Jusuf Nurkic is the other player standing out in the recent success. His 29 points and 17 rebounds double-double were key to the victory in Boston.
Powell is questionable but since fans can’t attend games (government protocols) he won’t miss out on what will be a rousing ovation. Cody Zeller (knee), and Larry Nance Jr. (knee) are also questionable. Lillard (abdominal) is out indefinitely.
Toronto Raptors
Although this was designated as a development season there are nuances to that point that need to be considered. Many assumed “development” meant Toronto would focus on the youngsters given their reputation of being among the best youth development teams.
But, with Nick Nurse using only seven players through a recent busy schedule it feels like the true “development” was meant for their rising stars. Fred VanVleet has easily ascended into the Kyle Lowry role, Pascal Siakam looks more like his All-Star, All-NBA version producing career highs in rebounds (8.3) and assists (4.9).
OG Anunoby is also hitting career highs in points (19.1), assists, (2.4), and showing an expanded versatility on offense. Factor in Scottie Barnes being ahead of where anyone projected in his rookie season and Gary Trent Jr. displaying a defensive prowess Nurse notes he’s delighted by and this squad is closer to rising than falling.
Moreover, Nurse refusing to concede games to get his stars rest and Masai Ujiri’s infamous comment of ‘play-in for what?’ punctuates this franchise has every desire to keep moving upward.
The quartet all factored Friday with Barnes posting a career-high 27 points (eight rebounds), VanVleet’s double-double (21 points, 12 assists), Siakam (21 points, seven rebounds), and Anunoby (12 points, nine rebounds, four steals).
Khem Birch (nose) is questionable (but likely out based on Nurse’s comments).
NBA Betting Trends:
- The teams are 5-5 in the last 10 head to head
- The teams are 5-5 ATS in their last 10 meetings.
- Over Under is 7-3 in the teams last 10 head to head matchups
Free Portland Trail Blazers vs. Toronto Raptors NBA Prediction:
The return of Trent highlighted how his ability to create his own shot and hit critical 3-pointers might’ve been the edge the Raptors needed to switch the clutch time losses against the Suns, Heat, and Mavericks. Meanwhile, the Blazers can’t be underestimated given their recent success.
The keys will be how Toronto deals with Nurkic’s size and limiting Simons while the Blazers will have headaches dealing with the Raptors’ length. These clubs always seem to decide games at the buzzer but I’m leaning to the Raptors covering.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Raptors ATS
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