The Toronto Raptors have made the playoffs in four consecutive years but the farthest they have gotten is the Eastern Conference Finals. This is their best chance yet at advancing to the NBA Finals and the journey will begin with a first-round matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Toronto has secured the No. 1 seed and has been the best team in the East this season, but LeBron James and the Cavaliers are still the favorites to win the East. The Raptors have run into some problems in the postseason in the past and are aiming to show they are more than just a strong regular season team.
The Wizards enter the playoffs in a big funk and will certainly be the underdogs in this series, but they are better than a typical No. 8 seed. The Raptors should have solid odds to claim this victory and move on to the second round in NBA basketball betting lines.
Game 1 of this NBA Playoff Series will be held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
Odds Analysis
The Raptors will be favored in this series and the odds should be released soon. Toronto was fantastic at home this season and it will have home court advantage in this series and throughout the Eastern Conference playoff rounds due to its top seed.
Toronto finished 59-23 this season with a record of 43-38-1 against the spread. The Raptors went 21-19-1 against the spread at home in the regular season and they were 34-33-1 against the spread as the favorite.
The Wizards went 43-39 in the regular season and 37-44-1 against the spread. Washington covered in 21 of 41 attempts on the road this season. The Wizards have done a nice job as the underdog on the year, covering in 18 of 29 attempts.
Previous Meetings
The teams met four times this season and split the season series, which should give the Wizards a measure of confidence even though they are the underdogs. Washington won the first matchup back in early November by a score of 107-96 as Bradley Beal had 38 points.
Toronto evened the series with a 100-91 win a couple of weeks later. The Wizards pulled out the closest game between these teams with a 122-119 margin on Feb. 1 and the Raptors salvaged the split with a 102-95 win in early March.
Each team won a game on the other’s home court in the regular season.
Key Stat
7.8. That’s the Raptors’ positive point-differential on the season. Toronto trailed only the Houston Rockets in average point-differential this season, which is a good sign for future success.
The Raptors may not have the star power of the Rockets, Cavaliers or Golden State Warriors, but they played just as good as those teams for long stretches during the regular season.
Toronto got it done in a little bit different of a way, as its depth was a big key. The duo of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry is solid but the team’s balance is one of its major keys.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Wizards have gone just 3-7 in their past 10 games and will need to play really well to have a chance at pulling the upset. But they do have a strong backcourt in John Wall and Bradley Beal, and if that duo plays well Washington figures to win at least a game or two.
There are questions about Toronto’s true championship viability, but that won’t be challenged until a later round. The Raptors will be the favorites to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals and should have no problem dispatching of the Wizards in NBA basketball odds.
Take the Raptors to close out this series in six games.
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