The Toronto Raptors host the reigning champion Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
The pregame narrative: Toronto is a heavy home underdog for good reason. That said, I’ll still back the Raptors to cover with some extra cushion. Player prop bets on Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis round out this +300 SGP.
Check out my Raptors vs. Celtics same-game parlay predictions for Jan. 15.
Raptors vs. Celtics predictions
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Parlay: Raptors +20 + White over 12.5 points + Porzingis over 1.5 threes (+300)
Raptors +20 (-220): The only thing Toronto is contending for this season is Cooper Flagg, but that doesn’t mean the squad has been uncompetitive.
- The Raptors are 22-17-1 ATS, the sixth-best mark in the NBA, despite owning a 9-31 record.
- That includes a 12-5-1 ATS record as home underdogs, which is the best of any team that’s played more than two games with that distinction.
The Raps have played the Celtics twice — both times in Boston — with drastically different results. First, they lost 126-123 in overtime and second, they were routed 125-71.
But Toronto was missing RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and Jamal Shead in the latter contest. They’re all slated to play tonight.
Darko Rajakovic’s group has covered this number in six of its last seven games since that blowout loss in Boston.
SGP legs
White over 12.5 points (-132): White has just nine points in his last two games while shooting a combined 2-of-14 from the field. That’s ugly. But he’s poised to bounce back tonight.
Boston’s point guard is averaging 16.4 PPG on the season and has cleared this mark in both contests against the Raptors, scoring 16 and 18 points.
He’s an active shooter from deep, and that’s an area Toronto struggles to defend (more on that later).
The Raptors also allow the fourth-most points per game to opposing PGs, according to Fantasy Pros.
Porzingis over 1.5 threes (-220): Porzingis is on a nice run for the Celtics this month, averaging 19.2 PPG while playing north of 30 minutes a night.
He’s also been solid from beyond the arc in January:
- 2.2 threes/game
- 39.3 3PT%
- 1+ three in every game
The Raptors give up the fourth-most 3s per game (14.4) at the seventh-highest rate (37.0%). Porzingis is attempting 5.9 threes per game this season, which puts him in a good spot to cash this on volume alone.
Picks made at 10:39 a.m. ET 01/15/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.