bet365 NBA Odds, Betting Preview: Raptors Vs. Warriors (Jan. 7)

Both the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors have been struggling this year and will be looking to get things back on track when they meet in Oakland.

The Warriors have been streaky, and have now lost four of their last six. The Raptors are in a very similar situation, having lost three from their last five, and six from their last nine. With both teams’ playoff odds getting slimmer by the day, let’s get into our game preview and see how the current odds stack up.

Raptors vs. Warriors odds

Raptors Moneyline Odds	+110
Warriors Moneyline Odds	-130
Over/Under	237.0 points (over -110, under -110)
Spread	Warriors -2.0 (-110)
Time/Date	January 7, 8:30 p.m. ET
TV	Broadcast: TSN1/4 Stream: NBA League Pass (How to watch the NBA in Canada?)

All odds courtesy of

About the Raptors (14-21 SU, 17-18 ATS, 19-16 o/u)

The Raptors, currently 12th in the Eastern Conference at 14-21, are a reflection of their team stats. Averaging 114.5 points per game might seem solid enough, but that puts them at just 17th in the league. In an unhappy coincidence, they’re also 17th in the league when it comes to defence, but Raptors fans would be forgiven for thinking things were even worse.

Let’s stick with the defence. Through 35 games, the Raptors have only allowed fewer than 100 points a total of three times. It goes without saying that you can’t win in a hyper-competitive Eastern Conference if you can’t defend. It’s tough enough to stop the Celtics, Bucks, Sixers, and Pacers as it is.

At the same time, arguably the biggest issue for the Raptors is their inability to win on the road. While they are just 9-9 at home, at least they are playing .500 basketball. On the road, the Raptors are an abysmal 5-12 which certainly does not bode well heading into Oakland on Monday night.

The Raptors made headlines by dealing forward OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks. In return, they received a package including RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round pick. Barrett has been okay in his first three games, posting 19 in his debut followed by 14 each in a win over Memphis and a loss to Sacramento. This shows that the Raptors are at least retooling, if not gearing up for a major shift in the offseason.

About the Warriors (17-18 SU, 16-18-1 ATS, 20-15 o/u)

This doesn’t feel like the Warriors team we have known for the better part of the last decade. Some of the big names still remain – Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green (when he’s not suspended) – but this isn’t the casually dominant team that it once was.

The last couple of years have felt like a big waiting game. Eventually, we told ourselves, the Warriors would just turn it on and start ripping off wins. Despite winning a title just two years ago, the Warriors feel old, sluggish, and defensively challenged.

They still pile in the points, ranked 9th in the league with 117.1 points per game. That said, they are allowing 116 in response and have been particularly bad over the last month or so. The fewest points they have allowed since the beginning of December is 106 points. The elite teams can shut down the best of the best, and the Warriors don’t look capable of that.

A major issue as of late has been Klay Thompson, who looks like a shadow of his former self. The Warriors also would have expected more out of Andrew Wiggins, and losing a declining Draymond Green to yet another suspension is just the cherry on top. Fortunately, Curry – who’s still averaging 27.6 points per game – seems like he’s still capable of hitting top gear. The question is whether his supporting cast can be there for him going forward.

Injury Concerns

• There are two names worth noting for the Raptors. Guard Gary Trent Jr. missed Friday’s game against the Kings due to a quad injury. His status is still unknown for Monday. Likewise, forward Otto Porter Jr. is questionable for Monday as he is dealing with a knee injury.
• Chris Paul is the big missing piece for the Warriors. He fractured his hand in Friday’s win over the Pistons and will have surgery at some point this week. Though he has since become a bench player, he provides depth that the Warriors cannot afford to lose at this juncture.

Betting Trends

• Despite their losing record, the Raptors have been pretty fun to watch, especially of late. Despite five of their last eight games being losses, six of those games have seen the Raptors hit the over. They have been pretty good in that regard this season (19-16) and have been piling on the points over the last couple of weeks.
• Like the Raptors, the Warriors have been reliable when it comes to the over. They are 20-15 on the season, having hit the over in four of their last seven games. Averaging just over 117 points per game and giving up 116, they are always a solid choice for hitting the over.
• It might be surprising that the Raptors have covered in four of their last six, but here we are. At the same time, that was preceded by failing to cover in eight of 10 games, all of those being in losses. It’s hard to predict when the streaks will come, but the Raptors seem to either have it for a short period or definitely don’t for a longer stretch.
• Though the Warriors have lost four of six (and one of those was against the lowly Pistons), it is important to note that they were hot before that. They had won five in a row, including an overtime victory against Boston, before having that streak snapped on Christmas Day against the Denver Nuggets.

Player Prop Trends

• Though Klay Thompson hasn’t quite been the superstar he was a few years ago, he is still putting up solid numbers. When looking at his points + assists combo, Thompson is +105 to beat 20 points on Monday, a number he has bested six times in his last ten games. That said, he has struggled recently. He combined for 27 points + assists on Friday but failed to do so in the four games prior, including a low of just four points + assists on December 30th.
• Scottie Barnes has been something of a revelation for the Raptors this season. He has become another feature option alongside Pascal Siakam. When it comes to points, his total is set for 20.5 (-115). If December was anything to go by, this should be easy enough. If you’re feeling adventurous, look for a points + rebounds wager; from December 18 through December 30, he had more than 30.5 points + rebounds in six of seven games.
• Siakam is the unquestioned star of the Raptors right now. His points + assists + rebounds combo is set for 33.5 on Monday night (O -120, U -110). Since December 22, he has been very good, besting that total in five of seven games. He had combined for 37 or more points + assists + rebounds in four straight games before having the streak broken with 31 on January 3.

Wagers to Consider

• Scottie Barnes has been impressively consistent when it comes to putting up points and rebounds. Though he has failed to hit his combo prop in the last two games, he is going to see more than enough looks to get there on Monday. Take the over on his points total (20.5, -115) as he and Siakam continue to carry the load.
• Offensively, it is hard to not like Curry here. He’s a top-10 scorer in this league and the Raptors are mediocre, at best, which sets the table for Curry to have himself a night. His points over (30.5, -105) should be easily hit and he could be a threat to put up 40 or more in front of the home crowd.
• Neither team is very good when defending the ball while both offences can light it up. That should be no different in this one, making the over (237.0, -110) very enticing. Going back to December 8, the Warriors have scored fewer than 113 points just once. Likewise, the Raptors have scored fewer than 111 points just twice in that same range. Expect it to rain points on Monday night.