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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Geoff Clark

NBA Best Bet of the Day: Toronto Raptors clinch 2-seed vs. Boston Celtics

We are into the second week of the NBA’s restart and have been privy to some pretty awesome hoops. Friday’s NBA slate hopes to provide similar action as we’ve seen thus far in the bubble. Let’s focus on the most important game of the card—the Boston Celtics versus Toronto Raptors.

BetMGM Sportsbook will have NBA odds and NBA props for all games so we’re bringing you the best bet for every day of the NBA action.

Toronto Raptors (-134) vs. Boston Celtics 

A win here for Toronto would clinch the 2-seed in the East and punctuate an impressive regular-season title defense. Everyone knows that Kawhi Leonard jetted for the Los Angeles Clippers after winning NBA Finals MVP en route to a Raptors title, but few expected the Raptors to still be title contenders.

Head coach Nick Nurse is in the running for Coach of the Year and everyone on the team has stepped up to make up for the loss of Leonard. Toronto’s resilience has been on full display all season. Here’s a look the games missed by key Raptors:

  • Siakam:  11 games
  • Kyle Lowry:  12 games
  • Serge Ibaka:  14 games 
  • Fred VanVleet:  16 games 
  • Powell:  20 games
  • Marc Gasol28 games

But heading into this game against the Celtics, all those players are active.


Place your legal NBA sports bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM! Register and bet now.


The Raptors are 1-2 versus the Celtics this year and took a Christmas whooping, 118-102. But, Toronto was without F Pascal Siakam (Toronto’s leading scorer) and SG Norman Powell (Toronto’s fourth-leading scorer).

PG Kemba Walker has been great against the Raptors this season, averaging 24.7 points per game in the three meetings with Toronto. He’s been battling a knee issue this summer and has been resting games or on a minutes restriction this whole restart. Walker not being 100% is a weakness for Boston in this matchup.

Boston is 2-2 in the restart and has beaten the losing teams they’ve faced, but lost both games against the winning teams. Toronto is 4-0 in the restart, covering all four games, and three of those victories are versus above-.500 teams.

BET RAPTORS (-134) in a clinch-game against Boston? Every $134 wagered on the Raptors (-134) returns a profit of $100 if they win outright. Bet now!

Get some action on this game or others by placing a legal NBA bet in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM Sportsbook.

For more NBA sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire. Follow @Geoffery_Clark on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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