How easy is the Toronto Raptors' second half of the season? It feels like they are in a tank-off in more than every other game. And they’ve got another one tonight when they play host to the Charlotte Hornets.
However, Toronto continues to be out-tanked by the rest of the NBA’s bottom feeders and is favored to win its third game in a row.
My Raptors vs. Hornets predictions bring you NBA picks for this tank battle set to tip off at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto at 7:30 pm ET on Friday, March 28.
My Raptors pick: Hornets Team Total Under 106.5 (-125 at PointsBet Canada)
My analysis
I must sound like a broken record at this point. But the Toronto Raptors' attempt to tank has been hilariously bad. Even with guys hopping on and off the injury report and impact players coming out of close games, it hasn’t been enough.
The Raptors are a better than .500 basketball team since the middle of January at 16-15. Sure, they lose to good teams, but they are too talented and too well-coached to consistently lose to the teams committed to the tank.
And let me tell you, everyone should be committed. Did you see Cooper Flagg in the Sweet 16?
The Charlotte Hornets are fully committed to the tank. They have just six wins since the start of February and getting buckets has been a real problem, particularly when LaMelo Ball is sidelined. Which he is for this matchup.
Charlotte ranks dead last in the NBA in offensive rating and scoring offense at 104.6 points per game, and 29th in effective field goal percentage since the All-Star break.
That plays right into the Raptors hands (claws?). Toronto has been an excellent defensive team lately. Not just excellent, they actually lead the NBA in defensive rating since the All-Star break.
That has me targeting the Under on the Hornets team total which is on the board at 106.5. Charlotte has played below this number five times in its last six games. While the Raps have held opponents below this number five times in their last nine.
The Hornets don’t want to win. The Raptors play good defense. Give me the Under 106.5 on the Hornets team total.
Raptors vs Hornets same-game parlay
Hornets Team Total Under 106.5
Jakob Poeltl 15+ points
Miles Bridges Under 22.5 points
The one-game-on and one-game-off trend for Jakob Poeltl continues, and he should be on the floor tonight against the Hornets. And with a matchup against Hornets center Mark Williams, he could see a few more minutes tonight.
And even though the Raptors have been manipulating Poeltl’s minutes, he’s been super efficient when he has been on the court. He is averaging 17.5 points per game over his last six games when this routine started, putting up 17 or more five times during that period. Add 15-plus points for Poeltl tonight.
Let’s close this same-game parlay out with Miles Bridges Under 22.5 points. Bridges will be the guy this Raptors defense keys on and he’s already in a slump. Bridges is averaging 15.2 points over his last six games, not scoring more than 21 during that period.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Raptors vs Hornets odds
Raptors vs Hornets live odds
Raptors vs Hornets opening odds
- Spread: Toronto -260 | Charlotte +210
- Moneyline: Toronto -6.5 | Charlotte +6.5
- Over/Under: Over 216.5 | Under 216.5
Odds courtesy of PointsBet Canada
Raptors vs Hornets spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Raptors opened this Eastern Conference matchup as 6.5-point home faves, but early bettors have faded the Raps, bringing the spread down to 5.5.
- The Raptors have been one of the best bets in the NBA all season long, going 44-28-1 ATS and are somewhat surprisingly 3-1 ATS in their last four games as favorites. The Hornets are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.
- The total hit the board at 216.5 and has come down slightly to 215.5 as of Friday afternoon.
- This is a pretty low total for today's NBA but I would agree with the early money. The Hornets aren't the only team struggling to get buckets in this matchup as the Raptors are next-to-last in offensive rating since the All-Star break.
Raptors vs Hornets trend
The Raptors have hit the Moneyline in 18 of their last 34 games for +14.90 Units and a 37% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Hornets.
How to watch Raptors vs Hornets
| Location | Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON |
| Date | Friday, 3-28-2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Sportsnet |
Raptors vs Hornets latest injuries
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