The Raptors will host the Western Conference-leading Thunder at Scotiabank on Friday (7 p.m. ET/Sportsnet), in a battle of teams heading into opposite situations. Toronto enters this game as a big local underdog, but we’ve identified several value betting opportunities that you can take advantage of.
As the TSN broadcast team said Wednesday night, “Mom said there would be days like this.” The Raptors have racked up significant injuries, lost eight straight and 10 of their last 11 and were just demolished by Domantas Sabonis and the Kings 123-89.
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Things could go from bad to worse with Toronto native and undisputed MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander coming to town with his Thunder 48-20. OKC is 11-3 since the All-Star break, and everything seems to be going well for Mark Daigneault’s team.
Can Toronto make this one interesting? Or, will Oklahoma City blow the doors off the undermanned Raptors like Sacramento did two days ago? Let’s dive into the BetMGM Odds and Best Bets for this interconference shock.
Raptors vs Thunder prediction, player props, best bets against the spread and moneyline
All odds and props are from BetMGM, a licensed NBA gaming operator.
- ATS: Thunder -12.5 (-105) | Raptors +12.5 (-115)
- Money line: Kings -675 | Raptors +500
- More less : W 230.5 (-105) | U230.5 (-115)
No surprises here. The undermanned Raptors have gone just 13-21 straight and ATS at home, while the Thunder have gone an impressive 20-13 SU on the road. OKC has the third-best offense in the NBA (120.7 PPG) and averages the fourth-most road points per game (118.6). Only three teams average fewer points at home than Toronto’s 110.3.
The struggle has only gotten worse for the Raps over the past month. With All-Star Scottie Barnes (hand), big man Jakob Poeltl (pinky), RJ Barrett (mourning) and Immanuel Quickley (nobody) all sidelined or away from the team, Toronto has struggled to keep his attack above water.
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Raptors vs Thunder predictions, best bets
Two days ago, we asked our readers to bet on the visiting Kings -11.5 in Toronto, and also to bet on UNDER (230.5). Sacramento made us look good, beating the undermanned Raps 123-89. We return to the gift we continue to give today, betting against Darko Rajaković’s team as if it were a Nike fire sale.
A 13-point win isn’t much to ask for here, considering the Thunder enter the weekend relatively healthy and the Raptors will be missing four of their key rotation cogs. Over the past two weeks, OKC has beaten the Grizzlies by 31, the Mavs by seven and, most recently, the Jazz by 12. They have also won off the road by 13 or more twice since Feb. 13, with a score of 13 points. victory in Houston and a 14-point victory in Orlando.
The Raps, meanwhile, are just 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games. They don’t just lose: they are regularly dismantled. With no real offensive leader, this essentially feels like a group of supporting characters trying to become main players (we’d better finish this paragraph before we drop a reference to “Oppenheimer”!).
SGA comes to the 905 to face its hometown team, it’s firmly entrenched in an MVP battle with Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards, and the Thunder have a narrow lead over Ant’s Wolves and Joker’s Nuggets. OKC won’t leave much to chance here – this team will aim for the commanding double after a day off on Thursday and with another day off on Saturday. Additionally, Daigneault will want his guys to stay alert before Sunday’s huge game in Milwaukee.
Without Barnes, Poeltl, Barrett or Quickley, the Thunder rumbles in Jurassic Park and tears apart the Raptors even worse than the Kings. OKC is too strong on both ends of the court, SGA and Jalen Williams control the perimeter, Chet Holmgren dominates the interior and every other piece on this team knows his role and identity.
What Daigneault has now is what Darko wanna his team eventually will. But that’s still a long way off, while OKC’s title-fighting days have already arrived.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Thunder 123, Raptors 105 – The Kings earn (-675) And blanket (-12.5), and the score just ends BELOW the projected total (230.5).
Bet on the best Raptors player against Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Points — OVER 31.5 (-105)
SGA lost 29 the last time it visited its hometown team, and 26 the time before that. Something tells us he’ll be looking to take on the Raps tonight, with a chance to move closer to the scoring title and/or the MVP trophy.
The Raptors and Bucks are the only two teams SGA hasn’t lost by 30 points to, so expect the Toronto native to go and leave the Raptors even more dismayed than the Kings left them on Wednesday.
