Weed The North - Season Long Raptors Thread

After giving it some serious thought, i am locking this up:

Toronto to win the title +750...1500/12750.

The thinking here is that Warriors DONT make the finals, then i have a beautiful dream case sceanrio to hedge this wager by taking the Western team in the finals +1.5 games for a double winning possibility type bet if Raps win in 7, or take the Western team to win the series at +$ depending on who it is and whats the line...regardless, i dont think any Raps to win tickets will ever get better odds than +750 moving forward, so i will gladly take this now and sit on it.

Alot of this wager has to do with a Doncic ROY ticket im sitting on, so given how it was +100 when i took it for 5000/5000, i am eager to reinvest here with a legit +750 future which i think will be in the +400 range come February first.

Great chat fellas...i agree with BigD...look to acquire a few assets like Raps or Bucks or Boston to win it all, if done right, you should get better than +120...and much better future hedge options if the best case scenario plays itself out and Warriors slip on a banana peel in a random western conf series...we also dont know what type of a potential team chemistry cancer Boogie might end up being 

Although i agree this current Lakers roster isnt finals worthy, i would fully expect Magic to pull off a trade or two at the deadline which may leave us all scratching our heads wondering just how the ful he was able to pull that off? The Lebron Factor is real, i think im going to eat crow on my RSW wager on them, however i have plenty of other futures sitting pretty to soften that blow...if the Lakers trim the fat on this team and get rid of their garbage, and pick up a few key players at the deadline, this team can become legit very quickly...all assuming Lebron paces himself to peak come May (and dare i say june)

Bottom line from purely a selfish bettor point of view, i feel much better about my Raps to win the division futures now versus just 24hrs ago when i fully expected Philly to gain a full game in the standings, not lose one...that was a gift last night

Tbh...taking a stab soon at James winning the MVP at +600 now to hedge against my Giannis future isnt a bad idea, if i truly believe the Lakers are a legit top 2 threat...which i dont currently, but could be if they make a few roster moves...regardless, the way Lebron is playing this year is indeed worthy of MVP consideration given the teams immediate record improvement despite not having an NBA level head coach (unless you consider Lebron himself the unofficial coach of the Lakers)

I lean Lakers +5.5 and ML too...Rockets were gifted a home win by Portland...doubt Lebron gives a game away here if its close in the 4th

Raps @ Blazers

Lean:

Portland ML +110....too many unknowns here to get into a true cap, with both Leonard and Lowry game time decisions...classic letdown spot for Toronto here, mixed in with a need for a home win by Portland, smells like a 6pt+ home win.

Raps @ Nuggets

Lean:

Raps -3.5

Line was -1.5 last night so im to assume Lowry and Leonard will both play...several key angles here support Raps in my opinion...Revenge for Nuggets winning recently in Toronto, return of their floor general Lowry to run the offense better, coming off arguably one of their worst games of the season (which was the classic post Warriors win letdown spot), Leonard had his worst game of the season and now i look for him to rebound nicely with a monster game here, and the final game of their western road trip here with a win gives them a very confidence boosting 3-1 trip, when they would have been satisfied going 2-2...Raps dont play again until Wednesday so i fully expect the entire game they give max effort and dont look to count minutes if the game is close...now the Nuggets come off a very impressive wire to wire win vs OKC, do they come into this game a bit overconfident? Denver is a very nice team this year, but if Toronto plays their attack style of offense from the beginning, i think Raps win this game from wire to wire something like 106-98 in a very intense playoff style game where these 2 teams legit have NBA finals aspirations...the wildcard x factor of this game will be Jokic, if Obaka and Munroe can neutralize him, the Raps could win this game by 10+ pulling away in the 4th...should be a great game 

Line now Denver -1.5...too many game time decisions here for Raps to have any real opinion here now...i still think Raps find a way to win here, but i would never touch this game

Pacers @ Raps

Lean:

Pacers +5 and ML +170...Lowry likely out, Powell makes season debut, Ibaka game time decision but i think we will play...this is a really bad spot for Raps here, getting an embarassed Indy team after their inexplicable home loss to the Cavs last night...this is the classic zig zag nba b2b theory in full effect...most people will look superficially at this line and last nights Pacers debacle and think Raps -5 is a gift, without realizing all the hidden intricacies that goes into a game like this...Pacers are "the forgotton" team so far in the East contender discussion...Raps Celts Sixers and Bucks is who the media have touted, but have left the Pacers out to dry until now...they are a legit team, and have had their early season injuries...Oladipo is their engine...they go as he goes...Lowry is the Raps engine...i would back the team with their engine healthy and present in the line up.

Nick Bouchier for the Raps will be playing tonight...i look for Pacers to feast on him at both ends of the floor...Bouchier is simply not worthy of getting any significant playing time on a team like Toronto who has finals or bust aspirations.

Ibaka and Lowry officially out

Local radio media stirring up the pot here today...Beal to the Raps at the trade deadline is picking up some steam ...possibly for Anunoby, Wright, and a pick

Last night results have me tickled pink 

What should have been a Raps loss and Celts win, ends up being completely opposite...a one game divisional lead now becomes three 

Indy +5 last night was a very sharp cap...hopefully people didnt fall for the -5 zig zag based on the Pacers b2b following their home loss to the Cavs 

Btw...this Danny Green guy...holy cow is he a true pro...the guy was robbed the finals mvp that one year by the Heat, and has quietly been a great nba player on both ends of the court...how Ujiri managed to flip Poetl into Green will remain one of lifes mysteries to me

Looking ahead to Cavs @ Raps, i already lean towards a Raps Rout...Toronto 1q 1h and fg wagers may indeed make my card tomorrow...everything sets up nicely for a raah raah friday night feel good game for the home team, while the Cavs continue to be stuck on the road...and hopefully have a great time at the brass rail tonight in preparation for their game tomorrow 

Cavs @ Raps

Lean:

Raps -4 1Q

Raps -7 1H

Raps -12

This has blowout written all over it...Based on how the Raps have struggled in several of their recent games, in comes the lame duck Cavs looking to party in Toronto the night before rather than be good choir boys and get to sleep early...i will be shocked if the Raps dont win this by 20+...no shenanigans late like the first time they played here as similar favs when they allowed the classic last second garbage time backdoor cover for the Cavs.

Fyi. Lowry is out tonight and maybe even Sunday, and Ibaka is a game time decision, but im capping this one with him being out too.

After 1: 32-22 Raps

After 2: 60-47 Raps

FG : 125-98 Raps

I know...bold 

Locked in:

Raps -11.5...line dropped by the hook...cant resist

Raps @ Sixers

Lean:

Raps +8.5....somehow this mash unit will keep it closer than expected...maybe even have a shot at stealing it late if Philly gets tight

Raps @ Heat

Lean:

Raps -2.5

Raps @ Magic:

Lean:

Raps -1.5 1Q

Raps -2.5 2Q

Raps -4.5 FG

This feels like another dud for Orlando who is in a tail spin post Mexico