Having lost both of its opening games in Cleveland, Toronto took the next two in the Scotiabank Arena to leave everything to play for. On Sunday the Raptors squeezed past the Cavs 93-89 to draw level on the back of another great showing from Scottie Barnes.
Now the teams head back to Ohio for a potentially crucial matchup. Home advantage has held sway so far in the series, but can the Raptors buck the trend and move within a game of the Conference semis?
Raptors vs Cavaliers Predictions - 7.40pm EST - 4/29
- Scottie Barnes 25+ points (+320)
- Cleveland over 112.5 (-116)
- Toronto +8.5 (-110)
All odds are courtesy of BetMGM, correct at the time of publishing, and subject to change.
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Raptors vs Cavaliers Odds
- Spread: Cavs -8.5 (-111)
- Moneyline: Cavs -400, Raptors +320
- Total: O/U 216 (-110)
Raptors vs Cavaliers Picks
Barnes to continue with hot hand - 25+ points (+320)
If Toronto is going to get the road win it will need to advance in this series, it feels like it will have to go through Scottie Barnes. The two-time All Star has been almost unstoppable so far in the postseason, peaking with a 33-point, 11-assist night on Thursday as the Raptors blew out Cleveland 126-104.
Barnes was also at the top of his game in Sunday’s much tighter matchup, contributing 23 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three blocks. His shooting wasn’t as sharp from the field but he made up for it at the line, going 11-14 on free throws as the Cavs targeted him time and again as Toronto’s most dangerous player on offense.
So far in this series the forward is averaging 25.8 ppg while shooting 52.3% from the field. Look to Barnes to show out again Wednesday as he looks to push Cleveland right to the wire.
- Raptors vs Cavaliers Prediction 1: Scottie Barnes 25+ Total Points (+320)
Points to flow in Cleveland - Over 112.5 (-116)
Sunday’s tense game excepted, this series has been surprisingly open so far when it has come to scoring. Toronto and Cleveland have combined to go 2-2 on the over in the first four games while exceeding 220 total points in three of those matchups. With the under set low for Wednesday, I would go high and back the likes of Barnes, Donovan Mitchell and RJ Barrett to keep producing at the net.
The Cavs stand out as one of the NBA’s best shooting units, averaging 14.3 3PM/G while boasting an effective FG% of 50% that ranks fifth in the league. On the other side of the court, Toronto excels up close, averaging 53 points in the paint per game (4th in NBA). Both teams will be going all-out for that crucial third win and that should push up the total past the over.
- Raptors vs Cavaliers Prediction 2: Over 112.5 (-116)
Raptors to cover on the road - Raptors +8.5 (-110)
So far this series has respected home court advantage perfectly, and Toronto will have a tough job reverting that trend with Immanuel Quickley still down with a hamstring issue.
But the Raptors have made a marked improvement since that rough start in Cleveland, and I do think they have plenty to at least cover what is a generous spread of almost two digits. The Canadians covered on both occasions as underdog when the series went to Toronto and are 5-3 ATS in their last eight games, including the end of the regular season.
Cleveland is 17-23 ATS this year when rated as the home favorite and it was shackled in both road games by the Raptors defense, scoring a combined 193 points across 84 minutes of basketball at the Scotiabank Arena. The momentum has shifted a little in this series and while a win on the road will be a big ask for the Raptors, I expect them to keep this one tight.
- Raptors vs Cavaliers Prediction 3: Raptors to cover the spread (-110)
Raptors vs Cavaliers Start Time
- Start Time: 7.30 pm EST
- Location: Rocket Arena
- Address: 1 Center Court, Cleveland, OH.
- TV & Streaming: NBA League Pass (out of market), Prime Video, TSN, Sportsnet, Fubo.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Toronto and Cleveland. The Raptors head back to the Rocket Arena on Wednesday for Game 5 of this NBA Playoff series, which is currently tied at 2-2. A win here could make all the difference for either of these teams. Lying in wait for the Raptors or Cavs will be Detroit or Orlando, with the Magic holding a commanding 3-1 lead in that series after four games.