Jazz vs Raptors Picks and Predictions: Jazz Replacements Fail to Cover

The Toronto Raptors are finally healthy and are playing their best basketball of the season. They’ll go for their fifth win in a row when they host the Utah Jazz Friday night.

And after some unlucky losses with a replacement-level team, the Raps might be getting one back tonight after it was announced that Rudy Gobert has entered the health and safety protocols, adding to the already loaded Jazz injury report.

As a result, the Raps are big double-digit home favorites. Can they cover the huge chalk? Find out in our free NBA picks and predictions for Jazz vs. Raptors on January 7.

Jazz vs Raptors odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

With all of the Jazz players unavailable for this matchup, the Raptors hit the board as massive 11.5-point home favorites. The line hasn’t moved much as of Friday afternoon. The total hit the board at 221 and is still hovering around that, at 221.5.

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

Jazz vs Raptors predictions

• Prediction: Raptors -11.5 (-110)
• Prediction: Over 221 (-110)
• Best bet: Fred VanVleet Over 3.5 Threes (-110)

Predictions made on 1/7/2022 at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Jazz vs Raptors game info

• Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
• Date: Friday, January 7, 2022
• Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: TSN, SNRM

Jazz vs Raptors betting preview

Injuries

Jazz: Donovan Mitchell SG (Out), Rudy Gobert C (Out), Mike Conley PG (Out), Joe Ingles SG (Out), Bojan Bogdanovic SF (Out), Jordan Clarkson PG (Questionable), Hassan Whiteside C (Questionable), Royce O'Neale PF (Questionable), Rudy Gay SF (Questionable).

Raptors: No key injuries to report.
Find our latest NBA injury reports.

Betting trend to know

The Raptors are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games at home. Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Raptors.

Jazz vs Raptors picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Spread analysis

Why did the books change so much, and do the bettors believe it?

The Raptors have won four games in a row, covering the spread in each game, and thanks to Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, the offense is humming for maybe the first time all season.

Steady Freddy has averaged 29.5 points while shooting 23 for 50 from 3-point range during the Raptors' winning streak, while Siakam is averaging 24.8 points on 53.1 percent shooting, adding 10.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists over his last six games. As a team, the Raptors rank fifth in the NBA in offensive rating.

And did you see the injury report for the Jazz?

Literally, every player who plays any sort of meaningful minutes for them is either already out, or questionable to play in this matchup. So, it’s really hard to try and handicap this game for the Jazz, since this likely won’t really be the Jazz playing in this game.

The Raptors are well-rested, well-coached, and are playing their best basketball of the season. Even though 11.5 is a pretty big number. But it’s still not big enough to consider taking the points with the Jazz here.

We've seen what happened to the Raptors when they went the replacement player route (a blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers). I would expect something similar from the Jazz here.

Prediction: Raptors -11.5 (-110)

Over/Under analysis

While leaning to a side in a matchup with so many unknowns for one team seems a little treacherous, figuring out the total might be a little easier, if only because we’ll be relying on the Raptors to be doing most of the heavy lifting.

As noted, the Raptors offense is roaring right now. During their four-game winning streak (which has come against some shorthanded opponents) the Raptors are putting up 120.5 points per game and over their last nine games, they rank second in the NBA in scoring and third in offensive rating. The Over is 9-0 in those games.

They will likely go against a Jazz team that will be playing a bunch of bench players and reserves. Guys who don’t have a ton of time on the floor together. That won’t play well against a Raptors defense that is known for causing turnovers. 

And even though the Raptors defense has mostly pulled itself of its pre-holiday slump, they are still allowing 107 points per game over the last four games. If Utah can get near that, this game should go Over thanks to another offensive outburst from the Raps.

Prediction: Over 221 (-110)

Best bet

Fred VanVleet’s streak of consecutive 30-point games came to an end at three last time out, as he put up just 19 against the Bucks. But he had to face one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders in Jrue Holiday in that one. Meanwhile for the Jazz, well, we’re not really sure who’s even going to be playing. 

And while VanVleet might not have hit 30 points, he was still on fire from 3-point range, going 5-10 from beyond the arc. That was the sixth consecutive game he has hit at least four three-pointers and the eighth time in his last nine games.

With basically all of the Jazz’s best perimeter defenders sitting this one out, VanVleet is a great bet to go Over his made threes prop once again.

Pick: Fred VanVleet Over 3.5 Made Threes (-120)

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