There has always been a measure of trepidation in believing in the Toronto Raptors to do well in the playoffs. The team has put together several consecutive regular seasons but has subsequently fallen short in the postseason. But this year could be different. The Raptors finished with the best record in the East in the regular season and have picked up two straight victories in their first-round matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Toronto can take total control of this series with a Game 3 victory, while the Wizards are hoping to claim victory in order to give themselves a chance to get back in and put some pressure on the Raptors. Washington gets to return home for the next two games and hopes the location change helps turn the tide.
The Raptors are slight underdogs and the Wizards would really like to cover in order to have a shot at making this a series in NBA basketball wagering.
Game 3 of this NBA Playoff Series is on Friday, April 20, 2018 at 8 p.m. ET at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The contest will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Wizards are listed as two-point favorites for Game 3. The money is coming in evenly on the spread as the betting public is split on which side will cover.
The scoring total is listed at 218 points as the oddsmakers see a high-scoring affair. The Wizards are listed at -130 to win this game on the moneyline, while the Raptors are narrow +110 underdogs.
Last Time Out
The Raptors jumped to a 2-0 lead with a 130-119 win over the Wizards on Tuesday, getting out front early and never letting off the gas. DeMar DeRozan put up 37 points in the win and Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double, finishing with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
A 44-point first-quarter helped the Raptors set the tone in this one, and they were also the better team off the boards. They weren’t as hot from three-point range as they were in Game 1, but shot well overall with 51.7 percent from the field as a team.
The Wizards were led by John Wall, who finished with 29 points and nine assists. Bradley Beal shot just 3-of-11 from the field and finished with just nine points for Washington.
Key Stat
122. That’s the number of points per game the Raptors have averaged through the first two contests of the series, and if they can continue to score at that clip moving forward they will be serious contenders to advance to the NBA Finals.
DeRozan is the team’s star but the Raptors have nice balance and the other players have stepped up thus far. There is a worry that Toronto can’t compete against the NBA elite because they lack superstar players, but so far the team approach has worked well in the playoffs.
The Wizards need to find a way to slow down Toronto to win Game 3.
Free NBA ATS Picks
Most teams tend to win Game 3 when they are down 2-0 because they know the series is likely over with a loss. The Wizards hope to follow that pattern, but it won’t be the case in this one.
The Raptors are the far superior team and are playing at a high level. Take Toronto to take another step closer toward a sweep with a win in Game 3. This game should be close but the Wizards will not be able to come up with enough buckets down the stretch.
Washington struggled late in the year and it looks like the Wizards will go down quietly. Take Toronto on the moneyline as it pays off more handsomely than on the spread. The “over” is the correct call once again in NBA basketball betting.
NBA ATS Pick: Raptors 113, Wizards 110
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
