The Toronto Raptors Will be looking to claim sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a sixth straight win when they return home on Friday to face LeBron James and the slumping Los Angeles Lakers as 7.5-point favourites on the NBA odds at Bet99. The Raptors rose to the occasion on their recent six-game road trip, which they closed out with five straight victories, capped by a Wednesday’s 103-100 win over the LA Clippers. Pegged as lengthy 3.40 moneyline underdogs in Friday’s contest, the Lakers have dipped to ninth place in the Western Conference standings during a three-game losing streak that included a 114-103 home loss to Toronto on Monday night.
CanadianBettingSites takes a look at all the best bets ahead of this key NBA matchup. Sports bettors looking to get in on NBA action for the first time can check out our guide to the best online sportsbook reviews to learn all they need to know about NBA betting in Canada.
| NBA Odds |  |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | +7.5 (1.86) |
| Toronto Raptors | -7.5 (1.95) |
Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors
Team Records
Lakers: 29-40 SU, 28-41 ATS (9th place, Western Conference)
Raptors: 39-30 SU, 39-29-1 ATS (7th place, Eastern Conference)
Lakers vs Raptors Betting Trends
In addition to marking their second clash this week, Friday night’s matchup at Scotiabank Arena also marks the second and final regular season meeting between these clubs. The raptors extended their recent domination of the Lakers with Monday’s victory as 4.5-point chalk. The club has now earned SU wins in 13 of 14 clashes with Los Angeles since November 2014, and have covered the spread on 12 occasions over that stretch. The Raptors’ impressive head-to-head results include SU wins in six of seven clashes in Toronto, with four of those victories coming by double-digit margins. These two teams have produced mixed results in totals betting, with the OVER/UNDER going 5-5 over their past 10 meetings. However, the UNDER has paid out in five of their past seven clashes north of the border.
Los Angeles Lakers News & Notes
It is tough to put a good face on what is quickly becoming a lost season for the Lakers. Consistency issues emerged early on during the team’s run to a 21-19 SU record through 40 games. Things have since gone from bad to worse, with the Lakers failing to win consecutive contests during a subsequent 8-21 SU run.
Russell Westbrook must’ve not known where the rim was, Karl-Anthony Towns reaction though😂😂, Lakers 11th road lost in a row the slump continues #lakers #nba #timberwolves #basketball pic.twitter.com/aAyL1MLz81
— Highlight Haven (@highlight_haven) March 17, 2022
Things have gone particularly bad on the road, where the Lakers have now lost 11 straight, with defeats coming by increasingly wider margins. With their 124-104 loss in Minnesota on Wednesday night, the Lakers have now been outscored by a massive margin of 17.2 points over their past five away defeats, and have covered the spread just three times in their past 11 away from Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers have fallen to 29-40.
The worst record for a LeBron team since the ‘03 Cavs. 😳 pic.twitter.com/bCq7vGld9h
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 17, 2022
With Anthony Davis on the shelf indefinitely with an ankle injury, LeBron James has been forced to carry the load on offence. LBJ has lived up to expectations while averaging 32.5 points per game over his past four outings, including a 30-point performance versus the Raptors earlier this week, and has averaged 31 points per game over his past eight visits to Toronto.
Bet99
With the Raptors offence clicking and the Lakers in disarray, Toronto is a good bet to run up the score on Friday night
1.90
Toronto Raptors News & Notes
While the Lakers have faded, the Raptors have stormed back into the playoff picture with some outstanding performances during their recent road trip. In addition to their back-to-back victories in Los Angeles, the Raptors also racked up upset victories over the Denver Nuggets and league-leading Phoenix Suns. And with eight of their final 12 regular season dates coming on home court, the club looks well-positioned to lock up a playoff berth.
The Raptors have STRONG words for LeBron. OG Anunoby says Nick Nurse has “figured” LeBron out. pic.twitter.com/n8zHkYa5wr
— Ballsack Sports ® (@BallsackSports) March 15, 2022
The consistent performance of the Raptors’ starting five has been key to their recent success. Pascal Siakam is coming off a dominating performance versus the Clippers, posting team-highs with 31 points, 12 boards, and three assists. Gary Trent Jr. has also scored at least 28 points in two of his past four outings, while Fred VanVleet has averaged 17 points per game in four outings since returning from injury.
Pascal Siakam last 8 games:
27.8 PPG
8.3 RPG
4.5 APG
52.2 FG%
48.3 3P%The Raptors have won 5 in a row. pic.twitter.com/2IIXAq0pYk
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 17, 2022
However, injuries remain a concern. OG Anunoby remains sidelined indefinitely with a finger injury. And Malachi Flynn, who performed so well while VanVleet was injured, is now out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
Best Bets: Raptors -7.5 (1.95); OVER 225 (1.92)
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