The Toronto Raptors are eyeing a surge up the Eastern Conference standings as the season enters its final quarter – and they have a great chance to extend their three-game win streak as they visit the Detroit Pistons for an early Saturday, February 25 tip-off.
Boosted by the trade deadline deal to bring back Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors are well-placed to nail down a play-in spot and they’re fresh off a solid 115-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, the Pistons are continuing their slide as they look toward next season. A 108-106 loss at the buzzer to the Orlando Magic last time out made it just one win from their last seven games.
Get the lowdown on today’s matinee matchup with our free Raptors vs Pistons NBA picks and predictions.
Raptors vs Pistons best odds
Raptors vs Pistons picks and predictions
The Raptors were widely tipped to be sellers at the trade deadline, but the decision to give the current group more time is already looking like a wise one. Pascal Siakam led the way with 26 points on Friday against the Pelicans, but he had plenty of help as three other Toronto starters put up at least 18 points.
Every game counts for Nick Nurse’s men the rest of the way, with an outside chance of sneaking up to the No.6 seed — and I expect a business-like performance here against an overmatched Pistons team.
Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism about the Raptors (today and over the final weeks of the season) is the impact that Jakob Poeltl has had on his return to the franchise that drafted him. He had a career-high 18 rebounds on Friday, along with 21 points, to win his battle against former teammate Jonas Valanciunas.
But it’s his defensive work that stands out even more — his presence in the paint seems to be solving some of Toronto’s glaring problems on that end of the floor. With four good wing defenders around Poeltl, I see the Raptors shutting down the hosts and getting enough offense from Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and Gary Trent Jr.
Nurse only went eight deep with his rotation against New Orleans, so there’s every reason to bank on the starters seeing big minutes again today. In his return from a wrist injury, O.G. Anunoby looked rusty from beyond the arc (1-for-8 on triples on Friday) but should be sharper here as his conditioning returns.
The Pistons have a good record in this matchup and are playing with zero pressure, but the Raptors have shown enough signs during their last three victories for me to feel comfortable laying this many points on the road.
My best bet: Raptors -6.5 (-107 at Pinnacle)
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Raptors vs Pistons spread analysis
The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet again today but there’s enough depth on this Toronto roster to manage the ball-handling duties. Barnes and Siakam did most of the heavy lifting against the Pelicans, combining for eight assists.
With six wins from their past seven games, the visitors are understandably favorites here despite recent struggles at Little Caesars Arena. The Raptors have failed to cover the spread in their last four visits and are 0-8 ATS in the past eight meetings overall.
But the Pistons are treading water at this point while giving Jaden Ivey every chance to learn in his rookie season. Ivey had 25 points against Orlando and has scored efficiently in his last three outings. Bojan Bogdanovic had a rare subpar shooting game on Friday (seven points on 3-for-12 from the field) and the Raptors have no shortage of athletic wing defenders to challenge him.
With Detroit 2-9-1 ATS in their last 12 games after an ATS win, a hungry Toronto team should be a formidable opponent today.
Raptors vs Pistons Over/Under analysis
These teams served up a nail-biting 119-118 scoreline less than two weeks ago, including lights-out shooting in the fourth quarter. VanVleet had 35 points that afternoon — and his absence this afternoon, coupled with some of Detroit’s injuries, hints at a lower total this time.
Neither team has trended towards high-scoring shootouts on Saturdays either — the Under is 3-0-1 in the Pistons’ last four Saturday games and 4-1 in the Raptors’ last five in this spot. The early tip-off could be a factor too, with usual gameday routines impacted.
It’s also reasonable to wonder what Detroit will bring to the table offensively after falling short of 110 points in their past two losses. Toronto held New Orleans to 45 first-half points last time out, with a defense that looks far more balanced now that Nurse has a true starting center on the roster.
Raptors vs Pistons betting trend to know
Don’t count on offensive fireworks. The Under is 5-1 in Detroit’s last six home games against a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Pistons.
Raptors vs Pistons game info
| Location: | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI |
| Date: | Saturday, February 25, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | BSDET, Sportsnet |
Raptors vs Pistons key injuries
