Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Lakers Predictions, Picks and Odds 3/18/22
Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview and Predictions
NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Lakers preview for Friday, March 17. At the time of posting, The Raptors have opened as a 9-point home favorite over the road Lakers, with the total sitting at 225 points.
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| Friday, March 18 | NBA Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Toronto Raptors -9 vs Los Angeles Lakers |
| Total: | 225 Points |
| Game Time: | 7:40pm ET / 4:40pm PT |
| Arena: | Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON |
| TV: | Spectrum SportsNet |
Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Analysis
Two interconference rivals go head-to-head for the second time in less than a week, as the Los Angeles Lakers head north of the border for a matchup with the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors improved to 39-30 after winning their 5th straight road game 103-100 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile the Lakers continued to plummet in the standings, dropping their record to 29-40 with a 124-104 loss in Minnesota against the Timberwolves.
Toronto handled their business on Monday night in Los Angeles with a 114-103 victory over the Lakers, in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as that score.
Raptors Look to Bring Momentum Home
The Toronto Raptors come into this with plenty of confidence after winning the last five games of a six game West Coast road trip.
Pascal Siakim led his team to their latest victory with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Fred VanVleet chipped in with 21 points and three assists.
The Raptors are now tied for 6th place in the Eastern Conference, the final guaranteed playoff spot. OG Anunoby and Malachi Flynn both continue to miss time with injuries.
Toronto ranks 19th in scoring with 108.8 points per game and 9th in defensive scoring with 107.2 points allowed per game to their opponents. The Raptors must be licking their chops to face the Lakers at home after man handling them in Los Angeles on Monday night.
Can The Lakers Get Revenge on Anyone
It might be time to hit the panic button for a Los Angeles Lakers team that has lost three in a row and 16 of their last 21 games.
What’s even more alarming is the fact that they have been completely blown off the floor in three straight wire-to-wire losses against the Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lebron James led the team in scoring with only 19 points in the latest embarrassment against the Timberwolves. Carmelo Anthony chipped in with 16 points but both he and James shot poorly from the field and beyond the arc.
The Lakers have struggled all season on the road where they have lost 23 of 32 games. Lebron James is listed as day-to-day on a day-to-day basis but considering this isn’t a back-to-back situation he should be fully expected to play.
The Laker defense has been an issue all season as they rank 26th in defensive scoring with almost 114 points allowed to their rivals. They are slightly above average in scoring with 111 points per game.
Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Prediction
The Toronto Raptors are 9 point home favorites with the over/under set at 225. The Lakers are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in Toronto.
The Raptors come into this game 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games. It sounds like there is decent chance Lebron James is out for this one with a nagging knee issue.
Regardless the Raptors are in amazing form, while the Lakers are collapsing. I just don’t what has changed since Monday night, other than the Raps having an another advantage playing at home. You just can’t do anything but fade the Lakers at this point.
Prediction: Toronto Raptors -9
* I like it regardless but added bonus if LeBron James sits…
NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Friday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles contest.
NBA Tip-Off Show
Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of professional handicappers for the NBA Tip-Off Show every Monday-Friday at 4:15pm ET / 1:15pm PT as we discuss tonight’s marquee games. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of pro sports bettors as they preview tonight’s NBA action, including this Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles clash.
WagerTalk NBA Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NBA point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Friday’s NBA games, including this Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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