Nets vs Raptors Game 1 Odds and Picks
- The NBA Playoffs get underway Monday, with Game 1 of the first round between the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors
- Brooklyn enters the postseason as the seventh seed, while the Raps are #2 in the East
- Get the odds, preview, and best bet for Game 1 below
With the seeding games all wrapped up in Orlando, the most exciting part of the NBA season is now upon us: the playoffs.
In the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets will face a very tough test when they take on the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 on Monday, August 17, tip-off 4pm ET.
The defending NBA champions took three out of four against their first-round opponents during the regular season and will look to carry their momentum from the bubble into the playoffs, where they went 7-1.
Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Game 1 Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points at Fanduel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | +9 (-110) | +330 | Ov 223.5 (-110) |
| Toronto Raptors | -9 (-110) | -420 | Un 223.5 (-110) |
Odds taken August 15th
The latest Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors odds favor the Raps by nine points in Game 1 on Monday.
LeVert Leading The Way For Brooklyn
With Kyrie Irving out and Kevin Durant yet to suit up for the Nets, they entered the bubble in Orlando a little bit thin on impact players. Nevertheless, Brooklyn went 5-3 in the seeding games, much in part to the impressive play of shooting guard Caris LeVert.
The 25-year old was named to the All-NBA second team in Orlando thanks to his productivity on the floor. LeVert averaged 18.7 points on the season, but since the resumption, the former Michigan star has put up 25 per night, including a 37-point display against the Blazers on Thursday.
Spencer Dinwiddie also decided to sit out for the restart due to concerns over COVID-19, who is one of the Nets’ leading scorers this year. Without DeAndre Jordan as well, Jacque Vaughn’s team has looked to a lot of bench players to provide some consistency.
Timothe Luwawu-Carabarrot has been a pleasant surprise for Brooklyn, dropping 14.7 points per contest in Orlando, almost double his average before the stop in play. Joe Harris and Jarret Allen have also been productive, but they will have their work cut out for them against a very good Raptors team. Heading in as the underdogs though, they have nothing to lose and will be looking to make some noise against the #2 seed in the East.
The future definitely looks bright for Brooklyn though, as they anticipate the return of Irving, Jordan, Dinwiddie, and the debut of Durant. Mix in LeVert, Harris, and Allen and you have a team that could be a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference in 2021.
Are The Raptors Legitimate Contenders?
After Kawhi Leonard departed for LA in the offseason, everyone was quick to say that Toronto had no shot of being a title contender again in 2020. Needless to say, all the doubters were wrong. The Raps finished the season with a 53-19 record, second-best in the league behind only the Milwaukee Bucks, who are one of the heaviest favorites to win the Larry O’Brien trophy this year. Nick Nurse’s squad lost just once in Orlando and will enter Monday’s contest on a four-game winning streak.
What makes this team so special is the fact they get contributions from their entire lineup. Pascal Siakam struggled at times in the bubble, but it didn’t hurt Toronto because they still have the likes of Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell, and Fred VanVleet pouring in buckets. Second unit guys such as Matt Thomas, Chris Boucher, and Terence Davis have all looked fantastic on the floor, eating up minutes when their starters need rest. The Raptors have six different players who have averaged 10 or more points this season, led by Siakam with 22.9. Lowry and VanVleet aren’t far behind him with 19.4 and 17.6, respectively.
Even without Kawhi, Toronto has proved this year they have what it takes to contend in the playoffs. They beat Milwaukee in the bubble and although the Eastern Conference champions were missing Giannis, the Raps were basically playing their bench unit, led by Boucher’s 25 points. Toronto is a very deep team through and through who can hurt their opponents in a number of ways. They should certainly not be taken lightly on the big stage.
Best Bet
Toronto is a heavy favorite to win this series. With a completely healthy squad and a bevy of players to choose from, I do expect them to breeze past the Nets. Game 1 should be a convincing win for the Raps. They should hit the spread, winning by 10 points or more in this contest.
Pick: Toronto -9 (-110)
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.
