Today's NBA Best Bet: Back The Raptors On The Road In Houston

Our three-game winning streak ended on Wednesday night as the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz failed to get us over the total despite a 61-point barrage in the first quarter. Thursday should be an exciting night following the NBA trade deadline. However, our focus remains on building our bankroll. As a result, we’ll try to get back to winning ways with our best bet in Houston, where the Rockets will take on the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto Raptors vs. Houston Rockets, Total and Odds

Moneyline: Raptors -300 | Rockets +245

Spread: Raptors -6.5 (-114) | Rockets +6.5 (-106)

Total: Over 222.5 (-110) | Under 222.5 (-110)

NBA Championship Odds: Raptors +8000 | Rockets +50000

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk-free for up to $1,000.

Toronto Raptors vs. Houston Rockets, News, Analysis, and Picks

The Toronto Raptors are one of the three teams in the Eastern Conference I felt could move up in the standings. The other two teams are the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics and Raptors are on six- and seven-game winning streaks, respectively, while the Hawks have won seven of their past ten games. It’s worth noting that Toronto’s seven-game winning streak is the longest in the NBA at the moment.

Thursday’s game against the Rockets is is a great spot to back a Raptors team averaging 117.9 points per game during their winning streak. Moreover, Toronto’s outscored their opponents by double digits in each of its past three games. The Raptors now rank 12th in offensive efficiency with 108.3 points per 100 possessions and they’re also 12th in defensive efficiency at 106.4 points per 100 possessions. They’re now just 1.5 games behind the Philadelphia 76ers in the Atlantic Division but will need to keep winning games to stay out of the playoff play-in tournament.

In contrast, Houston’s lost its past three games by an average of 17 points. This is a listless Rockets team that’s heading for another lottery pick in this summer’s NBA Draft. Houston’s just 3-13 against the spread (ATS) when facing an opponent that’s coming off a 100-point effort in their previous game and while some might be a bit leary of the Raptors playing on back-to-back nights, they’re 8-1 ATS in their past nine games in this spot. That’s certainly an angle I can get behind, so look to lay the points with the road favorites.

Pick: Raptors -6.5 (-114)

All NBA predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid.