The Toronto Raptors host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, with their losing streak now sitting at an ugly 13 in a row.
The NBA odds don’t like their chances tonight. The Raps are double-digit home underdogs against a Lakers team motivated to move up the Western Conference standings.
But all is not lost for Raptors fans, as Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett are both expected to return to the lineup tonight. Will their presence be enough to keep this one close?
I break it all down in my NBA picks and predictions for Lakers vs. Raptors on Tuesday, April 2.
Lakers vs Raptors predictions
My best bet: D’Angelo Russell Over 16.5 points (-115 at PointsBet)
I think I’ve really said it all about the current state of the Toronto Raptors, and this 13-game losing streak is just four away from the franchise record.
The one positive tonight is that both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley should both be back in the starting lineup tonight after extended personal absences for both players. The return of Barrett and Quickley will undoubtedly give the Raptors more of a scoring punch. Unfortunately, their presence doesn’t do much to help the team’s defense.
The team has had the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA since their roster makeover, which started to take effect on Jan. 1. They also rank dead-last in rebounding rate and opponent assists per possession during that period, and rank 27th in opponent effective field goal percentage for the season overall.
That doesn’t bode well facing off against a Los Angeles Lakers team that is trying to improve their playoff standing and has found an offensive groove.
The Lakers have won six of their last seven overall, putting up 122.4 points per game. Obviously, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the catalysts of this team, but don’t overlook the contributions of D’Angelo Russell.
The Lakers guard is putting up 18.1 points while shooting nearly 42% from 3-point range while adding 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. DLo can be a little all-or-nothing at times, but those numbers are up to 20.1 ppg on 43.8% shooting and 7.4 assists over his last 10 games.
Simply put, Russell should be a handful for the struggling Raptors. The D’Angelo Russell odds on his points total are sitting at 16.5, but our Covers Prop Projections have him at 19.1. He's gone Over this number in six of his last 10 games overall. Bet the Over with confidence here.
Lakers vs Raptors same-game parlay
D’Angelo Russell Over 16.5 points
D’Angelo Russell Over 5.5 assists
Lakers team total Over 122.5
Let’s stick with Russell here. He's been the Lakers' second-best playmaker behind LeBron and has really been dishing out the dimes lately. DLo has notched six or more assists seven times in his last 10 games. The Raptors allow the third-most assists per possession in the NBA. Over 5.5 assists for Russell looks like a solid second leg of this same-game parlay.
And let’s keep this SGP straightforward and close it out with the Lakers to go Over their team total of 122.5. I considered the full-game Over here with RJ and IQ back for Toronto but Los Angeles has played some good defense recently, particularly against bad teams. That’s what the Raptors are.
The Lakers rank ninth in effective field goal percentage during this latest seven-game stretch and have eclipsed this number four times during that period. The Raptors have allowed Over this number to their opponents in four of their last six games, including 145 and 135, respectively, in their latest two outings.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Lakers vs Raptors odds and trends
Lakers vs Raptors live odds
Lakers vs Raptors opening odds
- Spread: Los Angeles -12 | Toronto +12
- Moneyline: Los Angeles -900 | Toronto +600
- Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Lakers vs Raptors spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Raptors opened this game as big 12-point home underdogs but that hasn't scared away early bettors from backing the favorite with the line now at Toronto +12.5.
- The Raptors aren't just losing during this 13-game skid, they are losing badly, with an NBA-worst -17.1 point differential and going 3-10 ATS.
- The total hit the board at 231.5 and the early money has hopped on the Over, bumping the number up to 233.5 at some books.
- The Under is 8-5 during this Raptors losing streak. But with Barrett and Quickley on the floor, the Raps have the chance to be at the very least a competent offense.
Lakers vs Raptors trend
The Lakers have hit the Game Total Over in 30 of their last 47 away games for +11.30 Units and a 22% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Raptors.
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Lakers vs Raptors game info
| Location: | Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON |
| Date: | Tuesday, April 2, 2024 |
| Tip-off: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN, Spectrum SportsNet |
Not intended for use in MA.
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