NBA Betting Preview (Mar 9): Trail Blazers vs. Raptors Odds

In the wake of a challenging defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, the Toronto Raptors are regrouping and setting their sights on their next contest. This Saturday, they’ll be taking the court in Portland for a night-time matchup against the Trail Blazers. The Raptors will be looking to capitalize on this opportunity against a heavily injured Trail Blazers team that currently ranks among the few teams trailing them in the standings. The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, will be looking to seek redemption after a significant setback, having suffered a blowout defeat to the Houston Rockets in their previous game. With this upcoming game marking their second in as many days, the Trail Blazers face the added challenge of overcoming the fatigue associated with back-to-back contests.

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

Trail Blazers vs. Raptors odds

Trail Blazers Moneyline Odds	+125
Raptors Moneyline Odds	-150
Over/Under	227.0 points (over -110, under -110)
Spread	Raptors -3.0 (-110)
Time/Date	Mar. 9, 10:00 p.m. ET
TV	Broadcast: TSN4 Stream: NBA League Pass (How to watch the NBA in Canada?)

All odds courtesy of

About the Raptors (23-40 SU, 29-33-1 ATS, 32-31 o/u)

Despite facing a setback in Phoenix, the Toronto Raptors have several silver linings that emerged from their defeat, highlighting the resilience and potential within the team. A standout performance came from Immanuel Quickley, who not only set a new career benchmark with an impressive tally of 18 assists but also came tantalizingly close to achieving a triple-double by contributing 21 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Adding to the positives, Gary Trent Jr. delivered a remarkable performance, achieving a season-high of 30 points. Meanwhile, RJ Barrett continued to display his reliability and scoring consistency for the Raptors by adding 23 points to the scoreboard.

In their upcoming game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Raptors have distinct opportunities and challenges to navigate. The Trail Blazers’ defensive patterns reveal they give up the 10th most points to point guards, presenting a favourable situation for Quickley to exploit his scoring abilities. Conversely, Portland’s defence is tighter against shooting guards, allowing the 10th least points to players in this position, which might require Barrett to find alternative ways to impact the game beyond scoring.

For the power forward position, with Ochai Agbaji filling in due to Scottie’s injury, the Raptors encounter a less daunting challenge on the boards, as the Trail Blazers are the seventh stingiest in permitting rebounds to power forwards. At the center position, the Trail Blazers’ defence offers a mixed bag. They allow the sixth most points to centers, which could provide Olynyk with a substantial scoring opportunity. However, the team’s overall defensive pattern suggests that while scoring opportunities are present for certain positions, the Raptors must smartly exploit these while also adjusting to the tighter defence against shooting guards and the limited rebounding opportunities for power forwards.

About the Trail Blazers (17-44 SU, 29-32 ATS, 29-32 o/u)

Amid a challenging backdrop marked by a roster significantly diminished by injuries, the Trail Blazers displayed commendable resilience and effort in their encounter with the Rockets. Leading the Blazers was none other than Toronto-born Dalano Banton. Banton not only led the game in scoring with an impressive 30 points but also contributed significantly across the board with 8 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal, and a block. Anfernee Simons also made a notable impact, contributing 23 points to the team’s efforts. Beyond his scoring, Simons demonstrated his all-around game by securing 3 rebounds, distributing 3 assists, and exhibiting his defensive prowess with 3 steals. Kris Murray deserves a special mention for his commendable performance. Murray recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, in addition to 7 assists.

The Raptors have established themselves as formidable opponents to point guards, conceding the second-fewest points to players in this position across the league, which could pose a significant challenge for Anfernee Simons in finding his rhythm offensively in their upcoming game. Despite this defensive prowess, Toronto has shown a vulnerability by allowing the second-most assists, suggesting Simons might find success in shifting his role towards more of a playmaker, orchestrating the offence and setting up his teammates. This defensive setup creates a complex challenge for the Raptors, especially considering their past struggles against small forwards. Toumani Camara, stepping in at the small forward position, finds a ripe opportunity to make a substantial impact. His ability to penetrate Toronto’s defence and possibly facilitate key plays could prove pivotal, offering Portland a strategic edge in exploiting the specific weaknesses of the Raptors’ lineup.

Injury Concerns

• Scottie Barnes suffered a fracture to the third metacarpal bone of his left hand in Friday’s loss to the Warriors and is considered out indefinitely
• The Raptors announced Tuesday that Jakob Poeltl is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left pinkie finger
• Bruce Brown (knee) won’t play in Saturday’s game versus the Trail Blazers
• Deandre Ayton (hand) is doubtful for Saturday’s matchup with the Raptors
• Jeremi Grant is questionable to play Saturday against the Raptors due to right hamstring soreness
• Malcolm Brogdon (elbow) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Raptors
• Scoot Henderson (thigh) is doubtful for Saturday against the Raptors
• Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Raptors
• Jabari Walker (hip) is questionable to play Saturday against the Raptors
• Robert Williams III has been ruled out to play against the Raptors

Betting Trends

• The Raptors have hit the over in their last 3 out of 5 games.
• The Trail Blazers have hit the over in 3 games in a row.

Player Prop Trends

• RJ Barrett has scored over 22.5 points in his last 5 out of 6 games coming off an injury. He is averaging 20.6 points for the season as a Raptor. His line is at -105 to score over 22.5 points against the Trail Blazers
• Immanuel Quickley has dished over 7.5 assists in the last 4 out of 5 games. He is averaging 6.5 assists per game for the season as a Raptor. His line is at -145 to dish over 7.5 assists against the Trail Blazers.
• Gary Trent Jr has made over 2.5 threes in the last 3 games. He is averaging 2.4 threes per game this season. His line is at -140 to make over 2.5 threes against the Trail Blazers.

Wagers to Consider

• Toronto Raptors Money Line; Immanuel Quickley over 7.5 assists; Gary Trent Jr over 2.5 threes: +320. Quickley is coming off a career-high game in assists while Trent Jr is coming off a season-high in scoring. Both will look to continue that momentum and win against the heavily injured Blazers who are missing multiple key players.
• Over 224.0 Total Points: -110. This game should be a high-scoring game with defense being non-existent for either side due to injuries.