THE New Orleans Pelicans I hope to sweep it Toronto Raptors in the season series when they meet again on Tuesday. New Orleans, which demolished Toronto 138-100 on Feb. 5, will expect a more competitive matchup in the rematch. The Pelicans will once again count on Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram to direct them.
The Raptors showed more combativeness in their games following the All-Star break. They are 4-2 during this stretch, which included a big win against the Indiana Pacers on February 26. Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley will spearhead Toronto’s attack against the visitors.
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New Orleans can’t afford to play poor defense and hopes to go smoothly on the road against the Raptors. The Pelicans are in a tight race for a guaranteed playoff spot. Overlooking Toronto could cost them dearly in the battle for playoff positioning.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Toronto Raptors: Preview, Predictions and Betting Tips
The Raptors will host the Pelicans at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Tuesday starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. SN and Bally Sports New Orleans will cover the game. Streaming is also possible by subscribing to the NBA League Pass.
Basketball fans can tune in to SiriusXM, Sportsnet 590 and WRNO 99.5 FM to watch the action.
Money line: Pelicans (-400) vs. Raptors (+320)
Spread: Pelicans (-8.5) vs. Raptors (+8.5)
Total (P/U): Pelicans (o228.5 -110) vs. Raptors (u228.5 -110)
Editor’s note: The odds could change as the match approaches. The odds listed were consistent with information available at the time of writing.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors: Game Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans are 3-3 after the All-Star break after having a superb start to February. New Orleans’ defense has been on a roller coaster ride since action resumed. The Raptors may not be one of the NBA’s elite teams, but if their defense falters, an upset isn’t impossible. The Pelicans can’t afford to overlook the home team who has started to find their rhythm.
The Toronto Raptors are playing with more determination and chemistry after the well-deserved break. The additions of Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji gave them a boost. Darko Rajakovic’s team is not the most talented in the NBA, but they put up a big fight against their opponents. They pushed the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks before losing. Toronto hopes to do the same against New Orleans and will try to get a different result.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors: Starting Lineups
PF -Zion Williamson, SF -Brandon Ingram, VS – Jonas Valanciunas, SF -Herb Jones and PG – CJ McCollum will be the starting unit for the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Toronto Raptors will counter with a lineup including VS -Jakob Poeltl, SG -Gary Trent Jr., SG -RJ Barrett, PG – Emmanuel Quickley and SG -Ochai Agbaji.
Editor’s note: These are projected starting lineups, which could change depending on the availability of players uncertain to play.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Toronto Raptors: Betting Tips
Zion Williamson has a prop 22.5 point plus/minus. The New Orleans Pelicans star was dismal on Friday against the Indiana Pacers, scoring just eight points. Before that, he had scored at least 23 points in three out of five games. “Zanos” will look to bounce back and surpass their points.
Toronto Raptors Emmanuel Quickley has a prop of 20.5 points over/under. Over his last five games, he has averaged 21.0 points on 44.6% shooting, including 40.4% from deep. Quickley is in good shape and Toronto badly needs him to score points. He’s probably recovering from his points prop as well.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Toronto Raptors: Prediction
The New Orleans Pelicans have the deepest and most talented roster on paper, but they’ve been through a rough patch since the All-Star break. They’ll face a Toronto Raptors team that suddenly plays well together and pushes elite teams to their limits.
Zion Williamson and his teammates could pull out a win, but the Raptors are likely covering the spread.
