They have to hit the road in a crucial game this week against the New York Knicks, but should be the favorites because they are the superior team. Toronto is in a good spot right now in the standings and doesn’t want to fall behind the Wizards.
This war on the floor will go down Sunday, April 9, 2017, at 12 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York. The game will be televised live on NBA TV.
We'll have NBA odds available for this and every game on the NBA Sunday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Raptors are 48-31 straight up and 42-35-2 against the spread. Toronto has played in 39 road games this season with a record of 21-17-1 against the spread. The Raptors are 28-26-1 against the spread as the favorites on the year.
The Knicks are 30-48 straight up and 41-37 against the spread. New York has played in 38 home games on the season, covering in 21 of those attempts. The Knicks have covered in 30 of 55 tries as the underdog. They have been playing spoiler for a while, upsetting the Bulls recently, and will aim to make life tougher on the Raptors.
Injury Report
Knicks point guard Derrick Rose will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury. The former MVP suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee and will require surgery, forcing him to stay off the court for three-to-six weeks.
The latest injury has resulted in Rose’s fourth knee surgery of his career and comes at an inconvenient time for the 28-year-old who becomes a free agent this summer. He averaged 18 points for the Knicks this season but was clearly not the same player who won the MVP earlier in his career. That player seems to be gone and Rose is now more of a role player.
Without Rose, New York will look for strong showings from Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. The pair has combined for more than 40 points a game for the Knicks this year.
Player to Watch
DeMar DeRozan -- The Raptors shooting guard combined for 93 points in the three previous matchups against the Knicks this season, averaging 31 points a contest. DeRozan’s best performance against New York came in the most recent meeting on February 27th, when the 27-year-old finished with 37 points and eight rebounds.
DeRozan is averaging 27.3 points a game this season for the Raptors, a team high. He scored 27 points against the Pacers last week and has had three 40-plus point games in the last three weeks.
Behind DeRozan, the Raptors are averaging 107.1 points per game, ranking tenth in the league. He will be looking to deliver another big performance this weekend in New York.
Free NBA ATS Pick
It’s been a rough season for the Knicks, who probably can’t wait for it to mercifully come to an end. Anthony has been dealing with a back injury of late but has returned to the court. If he is hobbled at all, that will make it even tougher for the Knicks to pull the upset.
While all eyes have been on the Cavaliers and Celtics in the East, the Raptors are a formidable foe. They will aim to lock up the No. 3 seed with a strong finish, and should be able to knock off the Knicks despite playing this one on the road.
Expect this one to be an entertaining affair as the scoring total could be quite high based on both teams’ ability to score points.
NBA Odds: Raptors 115, Knicks 111
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