Cajun-Sports NBA Executive- Wednesday
TIME: 7:05 PM EST. Wednesday Dec. 31 (NBA Network)
GAME: Denver Nuggets vs. Toronto Raptors +1.5
PLAY: 3* Toronto Raptors +1.5
ANALYSIS:
Air Canada Centre will be the site of tonight’s clash between the host Toronto Raptors and the visiting Denver Nuggets. The last meeting between these two teams back in December cost the Raptors head coach his job.
The Denver Nuggets unleashed a beat-down on the Raptors in their December 3rd meeting at the Pepsi Center. The score in that contest was 132 to 93 and is now the largest margin of defeat in Toronto franchise history.
Revenge is one of the most overused reasons for playing on particular teams by sports bettors and even handicappers. Just because a team loses to an opponent that doesn’t mean they will be able to exact their revenge in the next meeting.
It’s one thing to lose to another team and want to avenge that loss but in this case the Raptors suffered the worst loss in their franchise history. This certainly could be a motivating factor and should mean we get the Raptors “A” game.
The Raptors All-Star Forward Chris Bosh will have to have a big game for them to avenge that loss with a win here tonight. It appears he has come out of a mid-December slump averaging 25.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game over his last four games.
The Nuggets acquired Chauncey Billups in November from the Pistons sending Allen Iverson to Detroit and it immediately made an impact as they moved to the top of the Northwest Division.
However, lately, they have come back down to earth, losers of five of their last eight games. Some of those losses could be attributed to the fact that All-Star Forward Carmelo Anthony has been bothered by a sore right elbow which sidelined him for several games including two last week. Anthony was able to return for the team’s last two games but was ineffective going 4 of 17 from the floor in Monday’s loss to Atlanta 109 to 91.
On the technical front we note that when Toronto goes “Over” in their last three games and are now playing at home they are 35-18 ATS if they are installed as a home underdog they are 17-6 ATS. If the Raptors lost on the road in their last game they are 193-155-7 ATS. The Raptors are 7-1-1 ATS when coming in off a SU loss in their last game and are now facing a non-conference opponent as an underdog of pk-2 points. If they lost ATS in their last game they are a perfect 5-0 ATS.
Data base research has uncovered systems that the Raptors are active in for tonight’s game. Play ON NBA teams as an underdog of pk-2 points if they are coming in off 3 consecutive road games, 97-68 ATS. Play ON NBA teams as an underdog of 1-3 points off at least five consecutive road games, 28-9 ATS. Play ON NBA teams off two SU/ATS losses in which they went “Over” the posted total and are installed as a home underdog, 70-41-4 ATS. Play ON NBA teams that have gone “Over” in their last three games and are now installed as an underdog, 110-80-5 ATS.
With revenge on their minds and technical and situational support we will back the host and take the point(s) as the Raptors avenge that blowout loss.
PROJECTED FINAL SCORE: (3*) Toronto Raptors 101 Denver Nuggets 97
<!-- / message -->