NBA odds, betting preview (Dec. 31): Raptors vs. Celtics predictions

The Toronto Raptors will look to avoid a season-worst 11th straight loss when they visit the Boston Celtics on New Year’s Eve.

Toronto was routed 136-107 by the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night to push its losing streak to 10 games. The Raptors’ last win came back on Dec. 3 at home against the Indiana Pacers.

The Celtics aren’t in good form right now, either, dropping three of their last four games, including a 123-114 decision to the Pacers on Sunday. They’re still sitting comfortably in second in the Eastern Conference standings despite their recent dip in performance, though.

This will be the second meeting of the season between these two teams. The Celtics eked out a 126-123 overtime victory over the Raptors in Boston on Nov. 16. Toronto easily covered the 16.5-point spread as underdogs.

Let’s dive into the game odds for Tuesday’s clash between the Raptors and Celtics:

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Betting Toronto Raptors (7-25 SU, 19-11-2 ATS, 17-15 o/u)

The Raptors committed a season-high 31 turnovers in Sunday’s loss to the Hawks, and the game didn’t start well, with Toronto turning the ball over on its first five possessions and six of the first seven. That staggering number is way above the team’s season average of 16.7 turnovers per game (27th in the NBA), but committing 20 or more turnovers against an elite team like the Celtics on Tuesday will be a death sentence for the Raptors.

One positive takeaway from Sunday’s loss is that Jakob Poeltl and Bruce Brown returned from injuries. Poeltl, who missed four games due to a strained left groin, scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in his return to action. Brown finished with 12 points in 19 minutes in his season debut. He missed the first 31 games recovering from right knee surgery.

Bettors should know this is the first game of a back-to-back set for the Raptors, who will host the Brooklyn Nets on New Year’s Day.

Betting Boston Celtics (23-9 SU, 12-19-2 ATS, 15-17 o/u)

The Celtics have already lost six games at home this season after going 37-4 at TD Garden during the regular season and 9-2 during the playoffs last year. Tuesday will mark the end of a four-game homestand before the Celtics embark on a four-game road trip with tough stops in Minnesota, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Denver.

Boston is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the NBA, averaging a league-best 18.4 field goals from long range per game. The Celtics are converting those chances at 36.4 percent (around league average), so the Raptors better be ready to defend the perimeter, something they’ve struggled with this season. Boston put up a whopping 61 3-point attempts against Toronto back in November, converting on 34 percent of those chances. Both Jayson Tatum and Al Horford recorded five 3-pointers apiece.

Raptors vs. Celtics injuries

G Immanuel Quickley (elbow) and F RJ Barrett (illness) are out for the Raptors. G Davion Mitchell (illness), F Bruno Fernando (toe), and G Gradey Dick (hamstring) are questionable.

As for the Celtics, G Jrue Holiday (shoulder) and C Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) are questionable.

Raptors vs. Celtics betting trends

• The Celtics have taken nine of the past 10 meetings, covering the spread in seven of those contests.
• After beginning the season as one of the best teams against the spread, the Raptors are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games.
• The Celtics are 12-6 SU at home this season, but just 6-12 ATS.

Raptors vs. Celtics player prop trends

• Dick has exceeded his line of 4.5 rebounds + assists in nine straight games and at a 74 percent rate this season. He’s around -150 to beat this mark again. Dick has also turned the ball over two times or more in five straight games. He’s around -110 to commit at least a pair of turnovers if he suits up.
• Jakob Poeltl has earned at least one steal in seven straight games and at a 70 percent rate this season. He’s a steep -190 to record a steal on Tuesday.
• Porzingis has scored 17 points or more in eight of his last 10 contests, averaging 18.5 per game during that span. He’s around -115 to record over 16.5 points, assuming he plays in this game.

Raptors vs. Celtics best bet

• This is another extremely difficult game to handicap due to so many questionable tags being given to key players (Dick, Holiday, Porzingis). Bettors should wait until determinations are made on these players closer to game time before placing their wagers. Toronto is facing its largest spread of the season (+17), and there’s value on the Raps to cover the spread if Porzingis and Holiday sit this one out. From a player prop perspective, keep in mind that Bruce Brown is now in the Toronto rotation after returning from injury. With Barrett out and potentially Dick also sidelined, Brown and Ja’Kobe Walter could see some big minutes in this game, so there could be some value on their offensive overs depending on the odds. Player props for both Brown and Walter weren’t available yet at the time of publish, but bettors should see some odds posted at online sportsbooks closer to tip-off.

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