Raptors vs Celtics Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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11 November 2023

Raptors vs Celtics Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

With Boston's early sample size providing an edge to high-scoring affairs, we're isolating the first half total when these two Atlantic rivals meet up on Saturday night. Read more in our Raptors vs. Celtics betting picks.

The instinct with every Toronto Raptors game is to take the Under, even if the team built around defense has only done so in half of its games this season. The opposite reigns true with the Boston Celtics as they enter Saturday with the No. 3 offense in the league.

There may be a needle to thread in this clash of styles, one that will yield a payout beforehand in the NBA odds. We are looking at a first-half total in our free NBA picks as we preview Raptors vs. Celtics on November 11, with tip set for 7:00 ET.

Raptors vs Celtics odds

Raptors vs Celtics predictions

With the No. 6 defensive rating in the league, it is a bit confounding how often Toronto Raptors games get out of hand in the first half. The Raptors combined with the Mavericks to score 120 points on Wednesday, and perhaps some of that should be ascribed to Dallas’s No. 23 defensive rating, but still, Toronto capitalized, putting up 62 first-half points.

That hasn’t been that much of an anomaly, as five of the Raptors’ eight games have cleared 100 first-half points and four have totaled 107 or more.

If those sound like low numbers to be surprised by, then remember that two Raptors games failed to get either team north of 100 points at the final horn, while four games have had a listed O/U of 213 or fewer.

The Boston Celtics are built around being an all-around team but their offense has been the story early on. Exclude Boston’s first game, a 108-104 shooting fiasco at Madison Square Garden —the two combined to shoot 42 percent from the field, not to mention the Knicks went 14-of-26 at the free-throw line — and every Celtics game since has hit 107 points in the first half.

In those seven games, Boston and its opponent have combined to average 118.9 points per first half. Not only is seven games a decent sample size, but 118.9 is quite a cushion compared to tonight’s first-half total.

As long as Boston continues to carry most of the weight in the first half, the total of 108.5 will be too low.

My best bet: First half Over 108.5 (-115 at PointsBet)

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Raptors vs Celtics same-game parlay

First half Over 108.5

Raptors +8

Scottie Barnes Over 19.5 points

The Celtics have bigger aspirations than the regular season, and that might be showing itself already. They are 6-2 but are only 3-3-2 against the spread, including 1-2-1 in the last seven days.

Boston has gone 0-3-1 as a single-digit favorite this season, content to get wins but not meeting expectations against decent competition. And disparage Toronto’s offense as you see fit, this is a team that should certainly be considered decent competition.

Scottie Barnes has been a key piece of that inconsistent offense this season, scoring 20 or more points in six of eight games, held under only by Minnesota in the season opener (there’s that buzzsaw again) and on Wednesday at Dallas, shooting a woeful 4-of-15 including 0-of-4 from deep.

Barnes will want redemption tonight, and he has shown enough this season to have me believe he will get it.

Looking to bet on some Raptors action? Join PointsBet, one of Canada’s favourite books for new bettors!

Raptors vs Celtics spread and Over/Under analysis

This line opened with Boston at -8 on Friday, and the Celtics 121-107 win against the Nets last night did not influence the number. Despite the back-to-back, Boston is still somewhat well-rested with only Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday clearing 30 minutes of playing time on Friday.

The total hit the market at 221 and it ticked upward all Saturday morning, perhaps an expectation that the Celtics will show some fatigue on defense more than on offense, leaning into their strength if so.