The Toronto Raptors are 7-1 straight up and against the spread in their last eight games against the Indiana Pacers. The Raptors hope that their regular season success against the Pacers transfers into postseason success in their series against Indiana starting this Saturday.
Indiana Pacers vs. Toronto Raptors 2016 odds: NBA playoff betting preview
The Toronto Raptors kick off their postseason run at home as betting favorites against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
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Toronto is a 6.5-point favorite at home on Saturday according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. This is just the second time in Indiana’s last 14 games that the Pacers are going off as a betting underdog.
With the third-best scoring defense in the NBA this season, the Raptors surged to the top of the standings, finishing second to only the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 SU and 44-37-1 ATS record.
The Raptors closed out the season on a 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS run that included a 111-98 win over the Pacers on April 8. Toronto’s excellent defense and the scoring prowess of guard tandem DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry make the Raptors a legitimate contender to dethrone the Cavaliers for the top spot in the East.
The Raptors are 16-4 SU and 13-7 ATS in their last 20 games as a favorite of six points or less including a current stretch of 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS per the OddsShark NBA Database.
After missing the playoffs in 2014-15, the Indiana Pacers worked their way into a playoff spot this season with a 45-37 SU and 42-40 ATS record.
The Pacers have had an up-and-down season since coming out of the gate on a 12-5 SU and ATS run, but they enter the playoffs on a high note with a 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS record over their last seven games. The offense runs through the capable hands of Paul George, who led the team with 23.1 points per game this year.
Saturday’s total is set at 194 points. The OVER is 6-2 in the last eight games between these two teams.
Toronto’s depth and defense make the Raptors a deserving favorite in this game and series, but the X-factor will be how well the Raptors are able to defend George. If the star forward gets hot, the Pacers could make some noise in this series.
