Kyrie Irving had some choice words for his teammates a few days ago, as the Celtics point guard has been frustrated with his team underachieving throughout the regular season. Boston still has championship aspirations but needs to pick it up. There is a good litmus test this week as the Celtics will host the Toronto Raptors in a matchup of Eastern Conference powers.
The Raptors have the best record in the NBA and have been playing well of late, so they will not be an easy team to beat even though Boston is at home. The Celtics were the preseason favorite to win the conference but it’s going to be tough to catch Toronto, especially if Boston loses this matchup.
Keep an eye on the spread because it should be a small one, considering the Celtics have the home court but the Raptors have shown to be the superior team this year in NBA gambling.
This NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics will be held at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 16th, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
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Odds Analysis
The Raptors have a record of 33-12 on the season, which is 1.5 games better than the Bucks atop both the East and the NBA. Toronto has been very impressive away from home this year with 15 wins in 23 attempts. The Raptors might be slight underdogs but they certainly cannot be counted out in this one considering their success this year.
The Celtics are 25-17 overall, which is a pretty good record but not up to the standards which they have set. Boston has been very good at home this year with 15 wins in 20 attempts, which will likely make it the slight favorite in NBA gambling.
Player To Watch
Irving -- Boston’s star point guard was critical of the preparation of the younger players on the team. The Celtics have been more inconsistent than hoped this season. Irving also said he has to do a better job being a leader.
Irving has put together an impressive season statistically. He is averaging 22.7 points, 6.4 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game on the year. Irving is dealing with a right quadriceps bruise, which isn’t expected to keep him from playing but could limit his effectiveness.
This could be a close game and the Celtics hope Irving’s strong comments will bring the team together and not tear it apart.
Injury Report
The Raptors are dealing with injuries to a couple of key players. Fred Van Vleet is dealing with a thigh injury which kept him out of Sunday’s game against the Wizards and could put his presence for this one in jeopardy. Van Vleet is averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 assists per game on the year.
Toronto will definitely be without center Jonas Valanciunas, who is going to miss at least the next month with a thumb injury. Valanciunas is averaging 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. While Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry are the two stars of the Raptors, one big reason for their success is the impressive depth, which could be hitting a hurdle with these injuries.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Raptors have been the better team, but the Celtics have a lot of talent and the home court. Boston is too good to keep struggling like it has this year. The Celtics could be ready to go on a nice run, and a win over Toronto would be a nice way to kickstart it.
The spread is not likely to be big, so Boston is the choice to not only win this game but also cover in NBA wagering.
NBA ATS Pick: Boston Celtics 109, Toronto Raptors 106
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