The Toronto Raptors might be extinct before Christmas even gets here.
The Raptors are struggling like they’re stuck in a tar pit. They have lost eight of their last 11 games and now sit at 11-16, outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. And with several key players nearing free agency, the front office must soon decide about the direction of the team.
But for now, Toronto must focus on what’s in front of them. And on Friday night, that’s Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers are playing great under former Raps head coach Nick Nurse. They are 19-8 and Joel Embiid is playing out of his mind. So, it’s no surprise that the NBA odds have Philly. laying 8-points at home. But can Toronto have a chance of keeping it close?
I break this Atlantic Division matchup and bring you the best bet in my NBA picks and predictions for Raptors vs. 76ers.
Raptors vs 76ers odds
Raptors vs 76ers predictions
The Toronto Raptors continue to be the bane of my NBA betting existence at the moment.
It’s hard to even fade them properly sometimes. Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray only hit two of the three threes needed to hit our best bet in the previous Raptors preview.
However, despite the value in that bet, I got away from an obvious play in Raptors games that sportsbooks continue to get wrong. The Nuggets were a Top 10 defense entering Wednesday’s matchup, and the Raptors have proven time and again that they struggle to get buckets against solid defensive teams putting up just 104 points in that game.
Guess what the Philadelphia 76ers are.
The Sixers aren’t just solid on the defensive end of the floor, they’re elite. Philadelphia ranks second in the NBA in defensive rating, seventh in opponent effective field goal percentage, and sixth in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
That is a problem for the Raptors, who are simply put, not a good shooting team. They rank 21st in effective field goal percentage and 27th in 3-point shooting percentage and like I said, those issues pop up more often than not against good defensive teams.
Toronto has played 11 games this season against teams currently in the top half of the NBA when it comes to defensive rating. The Raptors have averaged 104.9 points in those games and have topped 107 points just once in that span.
Yet, their team total for tonight’s matchup against the 76ers is sitting at 110.5. That number is just flat-out wrong. Not to mention the fact that Toronto put up 107 and 99 points respectively while shooting a combined 46% from the field in the two previous meetings against Philadelphia this season.
Once again, this number is wrong. Take the Raptors Under their team total in tonight’s matchup.
My best bet: Raptors team total Under 110.5 (-110 at PointsBet)
Raptors vs 76ers same-game parlay
Raptors team total Under 110.5
Pascal Siakam Under 22.5 Points
Joel Embiid 35+ Points
As always, let’s tip off our same-game parlay with our best bet which for this Atlantic Division clash is Toronto to stay below its team total of 110.5. And if the Raptors are having trouble getting buckets, then it probably means Pascal Siakam is having trouble getting buckets.
The former All-Star has been hit-or-miss this season. He’s averaging 21 points this season but in those 11 games against Top 15 defenses, he is averaging 18.1 points and has had 22 or fewer nine times over those 11 games. That includes performances of 10 and 11 points in the two meetings against the Sixers this season. Siakam has also gone Under 22.5 points in eight of his last 12 games overall, so let’s add his Under 22.5 points.
Someone who isn’t having trouble getting buckets on the other hand is Joel Embiid. The Sixers center is on a tear. He is averaging 35.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season. But he’s taken his game to the next level. Over his last eight games, he is averaging 41.4 points per game and has hit the 50-point mark twice over that span.
That includes dropping 51 on the NBA’s top-rated defense, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Let’s close the SGP out with him to get 35+ points. Something he has done in seven of his last eight games.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Raptors vs 76ers spread and Over/Under analysis
The Raptors opened this matchup as 8-point road underdogs and that’s where the line sits as of early Friday afternoon. Toronto closed as a 5-point home dog and a 7.5-point road dog in the two previous meetings against the 76ers earlier in the season.
Philadelphia won and covered the spread in both of those meetings. Winning the first 114-107 and the second 114-99. And I would lean toward the Sixers on the spread once again in meeting No. 3.
For starters, Philly is really good. They rank second in the NBA in net rating and are second in both offensive and defensive rating. Additionally, Toronto has taken a step back on the defensive end of the floor.
The Raptors rank 24th in defensive rating and 29th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage since the start of December. Simply put, it looks like they’ll have a hard time slowing down Embiid and the Sixers and don’t have the horses to keep up.
When it comes to the total, that hit the board at 229 and has been bet up slightly to 230.5. That’s interesting because the two previous meetings closed with totals in the 214 range.
Now, I think this is accounting for the surge in Philly’s offense combined with Toronto’s struggling defense. But it’s not taking into account how poor the Raps have been on offense against good defensive teams. And like I said, the 76ers are one of the best in the NBA at the moment.
When it comes to totals I’ll stick to the Raps team total.
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Raptors vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Raptors have hit the Team Total Under in 35 of their last 56 games for +10.7 units. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. 76ers.
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Raptors vs 76ers game info
| Location: | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date: | Friday, December 22, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Sportsnet, NBCS-Philadelphia |
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