Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will put their three-game winning streak on the line tonight as they head to Toronto to play Pascal Siakam and the Raptors at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Thunder and Raptors are fighting for playoff positioning down the stretch, so every game is important. In their first meeting in November, the Thunder crushed the Raptors 132-113 in Oklahoma City. All five Thunder starters were in double figures, and OKC received especially good performances from Eugene Omoruyi (22 points) and rookie Jalen Williams (10 points and 11 rebounds).
The Thunder (34-35) have a strong shot at getting into the playoffs. Oklahoma City is currently the ninth seed in the Western Conference, with a half-game lead over the Lakers. However, if the Thunder are just 1.5 games behind the Warriors for the sixth seed. They are 6-2 this month, a far cry from where they were after the All-Star break (0-4 heading into March).
Meanwhile, the Raptors (33-36) returned home on Tuesday and picked up a high-quality win over the Nuggets (125-110), snapping their three-game losing skid. With that win, Toronto has won five-straight games at home and is sitting firmly in the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors have a one-game lead over the 10th-seed Wizards but are only a game behind the eighth-seed Hawks.
Can the Thunder sweep the season series over the Raptors, or will the Raptors continue to rack up the wins at home? Below, we'll break down this inter-conference matchup while giving our prediction and best bets for basketball fans looking to win some cash.
Thunder vs. Raptors odds, picks, predictions
- Spread: Thunder -6.5 (-110); Raptors +6.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 231.5
- Moneyline: Thunder +200; Raptors -250
The Raptors enter tonight's contest as notable 6.5-point favorites, as they've been good at home (21-13), while the Thunder have struggled on the road this season (13-20). Throughout their five-game home winning streak, Toronto is outscoring their opponents by 7.4 points per game. The Raptors are also holding opponents to 109.8 points per game. While they've had success at home recently, they haven't played the toughest schedule, posting wins against the Pelicans, Bulls, Magic, and Pistons in addition to the Nuggets.
However, you cannot pick who you play at home or who you beat. It's also worth noting that the Raptors are 20-14 against the spread at Scotiabank Arena and 16-11 ATS as a home favorite.
As for the Thunder, they have won four out of their past five games, which includes a good home win over the Warriors on March 7. Oklahoma City is 6-6 straight up since the All-Star break and has gone 7-4-1 ATS over that span. If the Thunder want to cover the spread and potentially win tonight, they will need Gilgeous-Alexander to lead the way. In the past four games, the All-Star point guard is producing 35.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Coincidentally, the Thunder are 4-0 in those games.
Our best bet tonight will be the Thunder to cover the spread. They might not win tonight in Toronto, but this has been one of the best teams ATS spread this season, specifically on the road. Oklahoma City is 11-3-1 ATS in their past 15 road games and 18-7-3 ATS as a road underdog this season. Additionally, they are 19-12-2 ATS after a win and 17-9 ATS in non-conference games.
Best Bet: Thunder +6.5
Best player prop bet for Thunder vs. Raptors: OG Anunoby OVER 2.5 threes made (+105)
We will target Anunoby's three-point prop for tonight's matchup, as he's been on fire from beyond the arc since returning from the All-Star break. The 25-year-old wing is producing 15.9 points per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three-point range (5.8 attempts per game) in his past 10 games. Anunoby has gone OVER 2.5 threes made in five out of his past six games, making at least four threes in three straight games. The Thunder have a solid three-point defense, allowing teams to shoot 35.8 percent (13th-best in the NBA) this season, so bettors might be hesitant to play this plus-money prop, but we will take our chances.
