The Toronto Raptors will be looking to build on the fastest season start in franchise history as they travel to Sacramento for Wednesday to take on the Kings as heavy 8.5-point betting favourites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Toronto has continued to roll even without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, posting a convincing 124-111 win in Utah on Monday, and now takes a 10-1 straight-up record into Wednesday night’s Raptors versus Kings betting matchup at Golden 1 Center.
Leonard’s early-season injury woes have continued on the team’s current four-game western swing. After missing the Raptors’ crushing 121-107 win over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers as 1.5-point underdogs on Sunday, an ankle injury also kept the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year out of Monday’s contest.
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But despite missing four of Toronto’s first 11 outings, Leonard continues to lead the team in points per game, rebounds per game, and steals per game, and has vaulted to a +650 bet on the odds to win NBA MVP, well ahead of the +950 odds he sported on opening night.
The Raptors have also garnered attention on the NBA championship odds during their hot start, moving past the Lakers and Houston Rockets to trail only the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics as a +900 wager on those NBA futures.
Winners of just 27 games last season, the Kings are off to a respectable 6-4 SU start, powered by a recent five-game win streak. However, Sacramento returns home as a lengthy underdog after closing out a four-game eastern swing on Sunday with a demoralizing 144-109 loss in Milwaukee as 9.5-point underdogs.
The Kings also came up short in a pair of meetings with Toronto last season, including a 102-87 loss on home hardwood as 9-point underdogs on Dec. 10. However, Sacramento has enjoyed significant success against the Raptors, going 17-4 SU and 15-6 against the spread in 21 all-time home dates with Toronto.
Sacramento has also posted outright victories as underdogs in its past two home contests, and is unbeaten ATS in three home games this season.
Following Wednesday night’s clash in Sacramento the Raptors return home for Saturday, when they open a three-game homestand with a visit from the New York Knicks followed by a Monday night date with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Raptors have taken 11 of their last 12 SU from New York, including five straight at Scotiabank Arena, and also ride a six-game SU win streak against the struggling Pelicans.
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