The Raptors have had a tough time so far in the postseason. Having finished fifth in the Eastern Conference, grabbing a spot in the first round, Toronto ran straight into a red-hot Cleveland team. The Cavs went 5-1 to start April and continued that great run by taking the first two games of this series, leaving Toronto with a mountain to climb.
Toronto was beat 126-113 and 115-105 in the Rocket Arena and cannot afford to drop another game on Thursday in front of its own fans. The Raptors went 24-17 at home in the regular season and will be hopeful of turning things around against this tough Cavs lineup.
Cavaliers vs Raptors Predictions - 8pm EST - 4/23
- Scottie Barnes 20+ points (+125)
- Under 219.5 (-111)
- Toronto moneyline (+130)
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing, and subject to change.
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Cavaliers vs Raptors Odds
- Spread: Cavs -3 (-116)
- Moneyline: Cavs -156, Raptors +130
- Total: O/U 219.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs Raptors Best Bets
Scottie to come through at home - Barnes 20+ points (+125)
Scottie Barnes has been one of the high points in a difficult start to Toronto’s playoff journey. Barnes put up 21 points in Game 1, shooting 3-4 from deep, and came through with a team-high 26 points as the rest of the offense floundered on Monday night. The forward is one of the keys for the Raptors going into Game 3 and I can see him continuing his good form with a strong showing.
The Cavs certainly struggled to contain him on Monday. Barnes shot 11-19 from the field, showing off his prowess in the paint, while also hitting 3-4 free throw attempts. He also loves playing in front of the Toronto crowd: he averages 18.8 points per game at the Scotiabank Centre against 17.3 ppg in away games.
This is only the second season Barnes has featured in the playoffs and he will be keen to make the adventure last as long as possible. Get on the star to come up big on Thursday, breaking the 20-point barrier and keeping the Raptors in contention.
- Cavaliers vs Raptors Prediction 1: Scottie Barnes 20+ Total Points (+125)
Stakes high, scores low - Under 219.5 (-110)
With so much on the line this is bound to be a tense night, and I think the final scoreline will reflect that in a low-scoring game.
Toronto certainly has the defensive talent on hand. The Raptors restricted teams to 111.8 ppg over the regular season, the ninth best mark in pro basketball. At home they gave up 110.8 ppg to rank seventh in the NBA, while Toronto’s overall defensive rating was a miserly 112.1 (sixth in NBA). The team trended towards the bottom of the league on offense with an average of 114.5; among this year’s playoff contenders, only the Suns recorded a lower mark.
The Raptors went 18-23 on the over at home this year and 15-21 when rated as underdog. The Cavs are a strong offensive team but lean heavily on their high volume of shots from deep; Toronto operates well on defense in limiting these opportunities and that should help keep the score down.
- Cavaliers vs Raptors Prediction 2: Under 219.5 (-110)
Raptors to come back in contention - Toronto ML (+130)
Toronto has no choice but to win on Thursday to avoid going 3-0 down in this seven-game series. I think the Raptors will pull out all the stops and move back within a game. This will be the Scotiabank Arena’s first taste of playoff ball since 2022 and the Toronto crowd will be firmly behind their players.
Despite a rough start to this series the Raptors have matched up well against the Cavs recently. They swept the regular season set 3-0, winning each of those games by a margin of 11 points or more.
The Raptors were strong at home all year, returning a 24-17 W/L in Toronto. They also went 41-26 in non-division games, a win percentage of 61.2%. Toronto will look to push its dominance up close - it averages 53.2 points in the paint, fourth-best in the NBA - while its elite defense shuts down Cleveland’s long-range shooting game. If the Raptors can pull that off, they have a great chance of winning as underdog on Thursday.
- Cavaliers vs Raptors Prediction 3: Raptors on the moneyline (+130)
Cavaliers vs Raptors Start Time
- Start Time: 8pm EST
- Location: Scotiabank Arena
- Address: 40 Bay St., Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2X2
- TV & Streaming: NBA League Pass (out of market), Prime Video, TSN, Sportsnet, Fubo.
Toronto faces a critical Game 3 on Thursday as Cleveland visits in the first round of the NBA playoff competition. Having lost both games so far, the Raptors must pick up the win in front of their own fans. The winner of this seven-game series will advance to face either Detroit or Orlando in the Eastern Conference semis.