Mavericks vs Raptors Odds, Spread and Picks
- The Mavericks face the Raptors on Saturday, October 23rd
- The Mavs are a 3.5-point road favorite
- Find the odds, preview, and prediction below
The Dallas Mavericks will visit the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, October 23rd in the second game of a back-to-back after beating the Boston Celtics on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm ET at Scotiabank Arena.
Toronto will be coming in with lots of confidence after their performance against Boston, while Dallas is looking for their first victory following a blowout defeat to Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
The teams split their two meetings in 2020-21.
Mavericks vs Raptors Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | -3.5 (-112) | -164 | Ov 217 (-110) |
| Toronto Raptors | +3.5 (-108) | +138 | Un 217 (-110) |
Odds as of October 22nd at FanDuel.
Scottie Barnes Show
After losing to the Washington Wizards in the season opener, the Raptors responded with authority against Boston and it was their first-round pick Scottie Barnes who stole the spotlight.
The rookie forward absolutely went off Friday, dropping a team-high 25 points while also grabbing 13 boards. Barnes was in his bag, shooting 11-for-17 from the field and 1-for-2 from downtown. It was just a glimpse into what he can bring to a Toronto team looking to find their identity again following the departure of Kyle Lowry.
On the stat sheet, Nick Nurse’s squad didn’t shoot the ball that well. While they drained just 42% of their FG’s and sunk a dismal 29% of their three-pointers, the Raps excelled in other areas. Toronto was a perfect 21-for-21 from the charity stripe and absolutely destroyed Boston on the glass, outrebounding them 60-42.
The C’s were extremely sloppy with the rock as well, committing 25 turnovers. The Raptors took full advantage, translating those mistakes into 27 points.
This victory really showed their depth as a roster. Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby combined for a mere 25 points on the night. Aside from Barnes, Gary Trent Jr poured in 20 points while Precious Achiuwa had his way inside, dropping 15 points and collecting 15 rebounds. Toronto will need to carry this momentum into Saturday, especially after the Mavs’ poor showing in their opener.
Rough Start For Dallas
Jason Kidd’s tenure as the head coach of the Mavericks didn’t exactly get off to the greatest start in the season opener as his team lost by 26 points to Atlanta. It was a very poor night all-around for Dallas.
Their highest scorer was Luka Doncic, who had just 18 points, but he did grab 11 boards and dish out seven assists. Jalen Brunson added 17, while Kristaps Porzingis collected a mere 11 points. The Mavs shot a dreadful 32% from the field and looked very sluggish on both ends. Their 30% clip from three-point land was nothing to write home about, either.
Dallas was frankly outplayed in every category, but especially inside. The Hawks had 46 points in the paint to only 26 for Kidd’s squad, with Dwight Powell and Dorian Finney-Smith combining for less than 10 points. Kristaps Porzingis also struggled immensely against the likes of John Collins and Clint Capela in the frontcourt, failing to use his size and strength to impose his will. The Mavs didn’t make a lot of moves this offseason due to cap space and it really showed on Thursday.
Toronto isn’t exactly a team that Doncic plays that well against. He averaged just 17.5 points last season in two games but did manage to collect 10 dimes and 8.5 rebounds. The Mavs certainly need their superstar to set the tone early and get them started on the right foot from tip-off.
Closing out the first road trip of the season in Toronto 🇨🇦
Tune in tomorrow for an early tip-off on @BallySportsSW!#MFFL pic.twitter.com/kBFfOoF74N
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 23, 2021
The Raptors are definitely not at the same level as Atlanta therefore Dallas must take advantage and bounce back by making smarter decisions both offensively and defensively. It all starts with Luka, but the shooters around him will need to start making shots.
Mavericks vs Raptors Prediction
I fully expect Dallas to respond here. Toronto might be coming off a victory over Boston, but the Mavs should be able to cover the spread. Expect Doncic to have a big night, while Porzingis will also show out after a poor season debut. The Raptors have some young talent, but they’re still rather inexperienced at the NBA level. Their shooting has been woeful and it will prove costly in Saturday’s contest.
Pick: Dallas Mavericks -3.5 (-112)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
