Toronto Raptors NBA Championship Odds Shorten After 4-0 Start

• Toronto’s championship odds have improved dramatically after winning their first four games of the 2018-19 NBA season
• Can the Raptors overtake the Celtics in the Eastern Conference?
• Does Drake’s favorite team pose a legitimate threat to the Golden State Warriors? 

Bookmakers are jumping on board the Raptors’ bandwagon.

Toronto’s average odds to win the 2019 NBA Championship have dropped from +1600 on October 16th to +1100 on October 23rd. Bettors can get the Drakes as short as +900  and as long as +1200.

2019 NBA Championship Average Odds

The Raptors’ improved odds are a reaction to their red-hot start, as Toronto has raced out to a 4-0 record and is one of just three undefeated teams remaining. They’ve leading the Eastern Conference in point differential at 12.2 and have already notched a pair of signature victories against the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. Both teams are expected to make deep playoff runs but were ill-equipped to handle Toronto’s balanced offense and deep bench.

2019 NBA Championship Odds

The Raptors got off to a strong start in 2017-18 as well, but this season feels different thanks to the addition of  Kawhi Leonard, who was dealt to Toronto on July 18th following a messy divorce in San Antonio.

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year is leading the team in minutes (34.7), points (25.7), and rebounds (8.7) per game, and looks every bit like the dominant two-way star who was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2014 NBA Finals.  Leonard looked especially sharp against the Celtics, scoring 31 points in just 36 minutes while still finding the energy to smother Boston’s young wings with his tenacious D.

It’s a little too early to declare Kawhi Leonard all the way back. Some stuff he did against Charlotte last night, though, sure made me think he’s on his way. pic.twitter.com/FBeWnIWqZj

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) October 23, 2018

Leonard has had plenty of help this season from Kyle Lowry, who is averaging 21 points and a career-high ten dimes per game. Many wondered how the four-time All-Star would adjust to playing without DeMarDeRozan, but Lowry has flourished with the additional spacing Leonard provides. The 32-year-old is shooting 60% from the field and a staggering  57% from beyond the arc.

Serge Ibaka took the time to admire his own block…?….which led to a Kawhi Leonard three. pic.twitter.com/L0BahFQMnN

— Steven Barnhart (@HWHoopsCentral) October 22, 2018

The Raptors have also benefited from a bounce back performance from Serge Ibaka, who is posting the highest scoring average of his career. The 10-year vet is playing center exclusively after previously manning the four, and he’s done a masterful job of exploiting mismatches and drawing opposing bigs away from the basket.

Is there Value in Betting on the Raptors?

This is shaping up to be the best – and deepest – Raptors squad in franchise history and you likely won’t get them at better odds as they continue to steamroll through the Eastern Conference. However, they still pale in comparison to the Warriors, who began the year as the first odds-on favorite since the 1998 Chicago Bulls.

The Warriors are averaging 113.3 points per game and rank in the top five league-wide in defensive rating, net rating, field goal percentage, free-throw percentage, and assists. Oh, and they’re not even at full strength. Golden State won’t truly slip into full gear until later this year when DeMarcus Cousins returns and allows them to become the first team in more than 40-years to start five players who appeared in the previous year’s All-Star game.

The Raptors are legit, but the odds suggest they’re still far behind the Warriors, Celtics, and Rockets. Enjoy this ride while it lasts because Leonard could be in Toronto for a good time, but not a long time.

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