NBA Betting: Raps Going Back To Back
The Toronto Raptors endure a tough slog this weekend as the schedule makers have handed them back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday.
Toronto gets things started Friday night at home against the San Antonio Spurs. The Raptors enter that matchup 2-3 straight up and against the spread in their last five after defeating the Detroit Pistons 96-91 as an 8.5-point favorite at Bovada Sportsbook on Wednesday night. Playing at home should help the Raptors, as they are a stout 14-2 SU and 9-7 ATS in their last 16 at home.
The Raptors and Spurs have matched up only once this season, back in October when San Antonio edged Toronto 101-97 as a 2.5-point home favorite. The Spurs have won four straight against the Raptors at 3-1 ATS, and they’re 12-2 SU and 8-5-1 ATS in the last 14 head-to-head meetings.
After facing the Spurs, the Raptors hit the road to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. This is their first meeting with Minnesota this season and they’ll look to build off their 10-2 record SU and 8-4 ATS mark in their last 12 against the T-Wolves. Minnesota has won its last two home games against Toronto SU and ATS and overall at home is on an eight-game winning streak SU.
Also of note on the NBA weekend schedule, on Saturday the surging Los Angeles Clippers drop in on the Utah Jazz, and the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Clippers have won six straight at 5-1 ATS after knocking off the Denver Nuggets 109-104 as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Jazz are only 2-5 SU and 3-4 ATS in their last seven and will be playing their second game in as many nights following an encounter with the New York Knicks on Friday. Utah has actually been a solid bet in the second half of a back-to-back this season at 7-2 ATS. Back in November, Utah whipped Los Angeles 126-107 as a 1-point underdog and the Jazz are 4-2 SU and ATS in their last six against the Clippers.
The Cavaliers get the Thunder on Saturday after taking on the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Heading into Thursday’s game, the Cavaliers had lost four straight SU and six straight ATS. They’re also 1-11 ATS in their last 12. The Thunder have won three straight at 2-1 ATS, but they’re still only 4-6 ATS in their last 10. The Cavaliers have dominated this matchup with a 4-1 record SU and ATS in their last five versus the Thunder, and have a 9-1 ATS record in their last 10 against OKC.