The defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors got off to a slow start this season, but they are firing on all cylinders at this point of the season. Toronto will host the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night in a game that will definitely have a playoff type atmosphere. The Pacers are not near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but this team will be a contender by the end of the season.
Toronto has won 11 straight games, and they have picked up some impressive wins along the way. The Raptors come into this game with a record of 36-14, and now sit in first place in the very tough Atlantic Division. Indiana has lost two straight games, but they are still trending in the right direction. The Pacers are 31-19 on the season, and are firmly in the playoff race in the East.
Offense Sometimes a Mystery For Pacers
If the Indiana Pacers are going to snap their brief losing streak then they are going to have to find a way to generate some more offense. The Pacers are averaging just 109.4 points per game this season, and scored just 85 points in a recent bad loss to the New York Knicks. Indiana has been solid on the defensive end of the floor; holding opponents to just 106.8 points per game. Playing solid defense is great, but at some point the Pacers have to find a way to score.
Forward Domantas Sabonis leads the Pacers with more than 18 points per game, and he is also shooting better than 53 percent from the floor. Victor Oladipo has already made a huge shot since returning to the lineup, but it has taken him some time to get his game back. The Pacers don’t shoot the ball extremely well, and that could be a big problem against the Toronto Raptors.
Raptors Locked in on Both Ends
The Toronto Raptors won the NBA title with terrific defense a season ago, but they have found more offense to go along with solid defense this season. Toronto is allowing just 105.9 points per game this season, and they could hold the Pacers to less than 100 in this one. The Raptors are now scoring more than 112 points per game, and that number keeps going up in recent games. Toronto has been making shots like crazy, and they are a better offensive team at home.
All Star forward Pascal Siakam was handed the keys to the offense to begin the season, and he has done a great job of leading the team. Siakam is scoring more than 23 points per game, and he can score points in a variety of ways. Kyle Lowry and Fred Van Vleet are both terrific shooters, and they give Siakam some room to operate. The Raptors might be an underrated team on the offensive end of the floor.
Raptors Too Much For Pacers at Home
These two teams both play extremely hard, and they don’t take a possession off on the defensive end of the floor. Don’t expect a ton of points scored in this game, even though both teams have some terrific offensive weapons. Toronto has been the hottest team in the NBA over the last few weeks, and they have one of the best home court advantages in the league.
Indiana is glad to have Victor Oladipo back in the fold, but he just isn’t ready to lead his team to a victory in this game. The Pacers are going to keep this game close, but they just won’t have enough offense to win it.
Bet the Toronto Raptors over the Indiana Pacers in this huge Eastern Conference showdown. Take the Raptors at our favorite pay per head bookie site www.RealBookies.com.
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