NBA Betting Preview (March 31): 76ers vs. Raptors Odds

The Toronto Raptors will face the Philadelphia 76ers at home for the final game of March after a 12th consecutive loss against the New York Knicks. On the other side, the Sixers find themselves in a challenging position as well, having faced disappointment in their last three games. Currently, they are trailing 1.5 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who occupy the 4th seed in the East. This upcoming game is not just another date on the calendar; it holds significant weight for the 76ers. It is a critical opportunity to narrow the gap and inch closer to the Cavaliers, making every moment on the court count toward their playoff aspirations.

Let’s look at the betting odds on both teams for this upcoming matchup.

76ers vs. Raptors Betting Odds

76ers Moneyline Odds	-600
Raptors Moneyline Odds	+450
Over/Under	218.5 points (over -110, under -110)
Spread	76ers -11.0 (-110)
Time/Date	March 31st, 8:00 p.m. ET
TV	Broadcast: TSN1/3/4 Stream: NBA League Pass (How to watch the NBA in Canada?)

All odds courtesy of

Betting the Toronto Raptors (23-50 SU, 31-41-1 ATS, 35-38 o/u)

In a night that went sideways fast for the Raptors, they found themselves on the tough end of a 145-101 thrashing by the Knicks. Through the chaos, Gradey Dick emerged as a glimmer of hope, putting up a spirited 23 points. Gary Trent Jr. wasn’t far behind, battling to add 18 points. Kelly Olynyk, with his knack for doing a bit of everything, rounded out the effort with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists.

In this upcoming game against the Sixers, Javon Freeman-Liberty is stepping up as the starting point guard. The Sixers have a tough defence, ranked 7th for limiting points to point guards, but they’re surprisingly generous with assists, allowing the 6th most. However, they keep a tight lid on 3-pointers, ranking 7th in limiting those. For Freeman-Liberty, it’s going to be tricky to rack up points, but he’s got a golden opportunity to shine as a playmaker, even if finding space for his shots beyond the arc might be tough.

Gary Trent Jr. is taking on the shooting guard spot, and he’s up against an even tougher challenge. The Sixers’ defence is stingy, allowing the 2nd fewest points and rebounds to shooting guards, not to mention their tight defence on 3-point shots. Gradey Dick, stepping in as the small forward, might just have found a sweet spot against the Sixers. They’re a bit more lenient here, giving up the 2nd most points, a decent amount of rebounds, and quite a few 3-point opportunities to small forwards. It’s a rare gap in the Sixers’ armour that Dick could exploit to the team’s advantage, especially from downtown.

Lastly, for Kelly Olynyk who is playing center, the Sixers are tough on points ranking 7th in defense against centers, but they’re generous on the boards, offering the 4th most rebounds. While scoring might be a challenge for Olynyk, he’s got a real shot at making a significant impact with rebounds.

Betting the Philadelphia 76ers (39-35 SU, 40-33-1 ATS, 38-36 o/u)

In a nail-biter and a game full of high stakes against the Cavaliers, the Sixers just couldn’t bridge the gap, ultimately falling short by a mere 3 points. Kyle Lowry took charge, dropping 23 points and dishing out 6 assists. Tobias Harris wasn’t far behind, contributing a solid 21 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey faced a tough night, managing 16 points on a challenging 7/26 shooting but still managed to rack up 11 assists, demonstrating his ability to contribute in more ways than one despite the shooting troubles.

Over the last 15 games, the Raptors’ defence has been feeling the pressure, with a ton of injuries leading to some big shifts in how they’re holding up against the competition. It seems like small forwards are having a field day against them, with the Raptors giving up the most points and rebounds, and plenty of assists and 3-pointers to boot. Kelly Oubre Jr. has a chance to shine, potentially lighting up the scoreboard, snagging rebounds, and dishing assists with ease. The Raptors are also giving up the 3rd most points and the 5th most rebounds to power forwards. Tobias Harris is likely gearing up to take full advantage.

Center Mo Bamba finds himself up against a Raptors team that’s been a bit too generous to centers, doling out the 7th most points and more rebounds than anyone else. Bamba’s got a real shot to make his mark, grabbing rebounds and possibly setting up his teammates for some easy scores. As for Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry, even though the spotlight isn’t directly on the Raptors’ defence against guards in the matchup stats, the overall gaps in Toronto’s defence could mean good things for them too.

76ers vs. Raptors Injury Concerns

• Scottie Barnes suffered a fracture to the third metacarpal bone of his left hand in the loss to the Warriors and is considered out indefinitely.
• The Raptors announced that Jakob Poeltl is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left pinkie finger.
• RJ Barrett (conditioning) is considered questionable for Sunday’s matchup with the 76ers.
• The Raptors announced that Chris Boucher suffered a partial MCL tear in his right knee and is without a timeline for return.
• Immanuel Quickley (conditioning) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game versus the Raptors.
• Jontay Porter (personal) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the 76ers.
• Ochai Agbaji (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the 76ers.
• Joel Embiid (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Raptors.
• De’Anthony Melton (back) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Raptors.

NBA Betting Trends

• The Raptors have hit the over in three of their last five games.
• The Sixers have hit the under in three of their last five games.

NBA Player Prop Trends

• Gradey Dick has grabbed under 3.5 rebounds in his last 4 out of 5 games. He is averaging 2.0 rebounds per game this season. His line is at -170 to grab under 3.5 rebounds against the Sixers.
• Gary Trent Jr has recorded under 0.5 blocks in his last 6 out of 7 games. He is averaging 0.2 blocks per game this season. His line is at -350 to record under 0.5 blocks against the Sixers.
• Tyrese Maxey has made over 2.5 threes in his last 3 out of 4 games. He is averaging 3.0 threes per game this season. His line is at -135 to make over 2.5 threes against the Raptors.

76ers vs. Raptors Predictions

• Philadelphia Sixers Moneyline; Gradey Dick over 13.5 points; Gradey Dick under 3.5 rebounds: +300. Gradey Dick has a golden opportunity to clear the over in points and he has not grabbed many rebounds lately. With the spread set at -11.0 to the Sixers, they will have no trouble winning.
• Over 218.5 Total Points: -110. With Maxey, Harris, Lowry, and Oubre Jr. playing a weak Raptors defence, it is very clear that this game has a high possibility of hitting the over.