Raptors vs. Wizards odds and best bets: Props and predictions for March 4

After losing to the Washington Wizards 119-108 on Thursday the Toronto Raptors will lock horns with them again on Saturday afternoon.

The pregame narrative: Neither squad possesses an elite offence, but the over/under line is giving these defences too much credit. Jakob Poeltl is making a huge impact with his scoring recently and Kristaps Porzingis isn’t much of a playmaker.

NBA odds as of 9:42 a.m. on 03/04/2023.

Raptors vs. Wizards picks

Best Bet: Over 222.5 points (-109)

These teams put up 227 points two days ago, and we don’t think their scoring is going to fall off a cliff in this one.

Looking at the team’s season-long averages this looks like a probable over whichever way you slice it. The combination of these teams’ average points totals (225.7) and points allowed (225.1) are both a few points above this line.

There are also no injuries to star offensive players that would depress scoring. The only significant absence on either side will be Wizards point guard Monte Morris who is more of a facilitator than a difference-maker.

Recent play also seems to favour an over here, particularly on Washington’s side. The Raptors have cleared this line in five of their last eight games while the Wizards are 9-3-1 against it in their last 13 appearances.

Key stat: The Raptors hit overs at the seventh-highest rate in the NBA (54.7%)

Quick picks

Poeltl over 13.5 points (-115): Poeltl’s second stint with the Raptors has been extremely productive so far, and this line isn’t asking too much.

After two games with limited minutes in Toronto, the centre has settled in and averaged 18.3 points in his last six games, clearing this over four times.

The Austrian proved that the Wizards are a good matchup for him on Thursday, too, as he went off for 23 points with near-perfect 8-for-9 shooting and seven trips to the free-throw line.

Porzingis under 2.5 assists (-112): While Porzingis is in the midst of a strong offensive season he isn’t much of a distributor. This is a modest line, but it’s still one the big Latvian has fallen short of in 55.8% of his games this season.

The forward has also been hitting this under especially frequently in recent weeks. Porzingis has two or fewer assists in 16 of his last 23 games — including Thursday’s matchup with the Raptors.

We don’t expect him to follow that up with a better day moving the ball on Saturday.

Disclaimer This content was produced as part of a partnership and therefore it may not meet the standards of impartial or independent journalism.