Here comes the cavalry. Kelly Olynyk made his long-awaited season debut for the Toronto Raptors this past Saturday at Scotiabank Arena, and he may have been their best performer in a competitive 125-118 loss to the Dallas Mavericks: 13 bench points on a perfect 3-of-3 from downtown and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
They didn’t get the W that night, but Olynyk’s shooting (plus four rebounds and a pair of steals) was just enough for the Raptors to cash in as 7.5-point home dogs here at Bodog Sportsbook. And depending on when you placed your bet, Klay Thompson (20 points, including 3-of-9 from behind the arc) did indeed go Under his posted total of 20.5 points scored – just as we prophesied in last week’s top five NBA betting preview.
Unfortunately for the Raptors, Scottie Barnes had to leave Monday’s 113-108 loss to the New York Knicks (–7) after painfully spraining his right ankle during the third quarter. It remains to be seen as we go to press how long Barnes will be out for the Raptors (7-18 SU, 17-8 ATS), but it doesn’t look good for this week’s abbreviated slate of two games on Bodog’s NBA betting lines.
5. Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (Friday, Dec. 13)
Full credit to Brooklyn (10-14 SU, 15-8-1 ATS at press time) for refusing to die. They were among the longest shots at Bodog Sportsbook to win the title this year, and they’re still tied with Toronto for last place at +100000 on our NBA championship odds – but just like the Raptors, not without a fight.
This is partly because the Nets are in the early stages of their rebuild. They still have reasonably capable veterans like Dennis Schroder (18.6 points, 6.5 assists per game), acquired from the Raps last year, and Ben Simmons (5.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists per game), who remains the team’s best defender despite his myriad injuries. They could both be flipped by the deadline, but for now, all is Camelot.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (17-8 SU and ATS) are outperforming Brooklyn against the spread, and they’re doing it at the No. 2 team in the Western Conference standings. So let’s turn our attention to the props market for our recommended NBA bets; Schroder and Simmons are both undervalued commodities at point guard, and the Grizz have a ton of key players injured right now, including Toronto native Zach Edey (ankle).
4. Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (Sunday, Dec. 15)
The Suns (12-11 SU, 8-15 ATS) have been in free-fall ever since Kevin Durant sprained his left ankle, dropping three straight SU and ATS. That’s after going 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS last month while Durant (25.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists per game) was out with a strained left calf.
Good news for Phoenix: Durant is expected back Friday to take on Utah, so he might be close to his usual self once Sunday’s game with Portland (8-16 SU, 12-11-1 ATS) rolls around. The Suns are still only 6-7 ATS with Durant in uniform, but we’ve got our eye on the NBA player props for former Raptor Dalano Banton (10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists per game), the pride of Rexall, Ontario, who’s played at a very high level off the Blazers’ bench.
3. Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets (Monday, Dec. 16)
It’s time to take the Sixers (7-15 SU, 9-13 ATS) seriously again. They’ve finally got their Big Three together after a string of injuries, although you can never tell when Joel Embiid (22.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game), Paul George (16.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists) or even Tyrese Maxey (24.3 points, 5.2 assists, 2.0 steals) might have to sit out. It’s all good for now though. Former Raps head coach Nick Nurse has this team shredding the NBA spreads at 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.
Charlotte (7-17 SU, 14-10 ATS) was doing some good things earlier this year, but everything went sideways in late November when LaMelo Ball (31.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists per game) strained his left calf. The Hornets are 1-5 SU and 3-3 ATS without their talisman, and 1-3 ATS in their past four as the injuries pile up – including their 110-104 loss to the Sixers (–5 away at Bodog) on December 3.
2. Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (Thursday, Dec. 12)
While the Knicks outscored Toronto 30-22 in the fourth quarter after Barnes left the floor, the Raptors were winning Tuesday’s contest 101-99 with 4:20 remaining when Jonathan Mogbo was replaced by Davion Mitchell. Not that Mitchell was to blame – refball might have contributed to Tuesday’s result – but Mogbo (six points, seven rebounds, two assists in 23 minutes) is one of Toronto’s very best from the Bench Mob.
The Heat (12-10 SU, 11-11 ATS) have been all over the map this year, partly because of injuries, although they’re on a 3-0 SU and ATS mini-streak versus the NBA lines now that they’re healthy again. Mogbo may or may not start in place of Barnes this Thursday, but his minutes are bound to go up either way. So will his chances of cashing in the Over at Bodog for his rebound props.
1. Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors (Monday, Dec. 16)
This is the second of two games shoe-horned into Toronto’s schedule after they were eliminated from NBA Cup contention. Miami is seventh in the Eastern Conference; the Bulls (10-15 SU, 12-13 ATS) are tied for eighth despite their record, so this is obviously a bad time to be losing Barnes’s services – unless you happen to be pro-tank.
Chicago might not have power forward Patrick Williams (9.9 points, 5.0 rebounds per game) for this matchup, as he continues to sit with inflammation in his surgically-repaired right foot. Williams hasn’t been particularly effective this year, and the Bulls are slightly better at 4-6 SU and 5-5 ATS since he last suited up, but there should be more room for Mogbo to run if there’s one fewer big to worry about.
While you’re hitting up those Toronto Raptors props at Bodog Sportsbook – your home for the very best odds on NBA games, teams and players – don’t forget to check out our Promotions page to see all the different ways you can add some free bonus cash to your bankroll. Enjoy the basketball, and we’ll see you next week for more Raptors betting tips and analysis.