The Toronto Raptors will be desperate for a win to avoid elimination from the playoffs when they take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in Game 6 of their second-round series as 3-point underdogs on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Toronto fell flat while suffering a 111-89 loss to Boston in Game 5 action on Monday, and now takes a 3-2 series deficit into Wednesday’s matchup at HP Field House.
The hottest team in the NBA since the league resumed play inside its Orlando bubble, the Raptors enjoyed an impressive 15-1 straight-up run prior to the start of this series. However, the team has struggled badly against the Celtics. In addition to dropping a lopsided 122-100 decision as 1.5-point chalk in a clash with Boston back on Aug. 7, the Raptors were outclassed while falling to defeat in the first two games of this series.
The Raptors rebounded by knocking off Boston 104-103 in Game 3, with OG Anunoby sealing the win with a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, and showed signs of regaining their steady form with a 100-93 win in Game 4. However, those wins marked the only time that Toronto has tallied consecutive SU wins over the Celtics during a 4-8 SU run against Boston that dates back to October 2018, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
Now set as lengthy +315 underdogs on the NBA playoff series prices, the Raptors will be aiming to maintain their recent run of success in Game 6 situations. The team has earned the win in four of its past five Game 6 appearances, and has gone on to claim a series victory in seven of its past eight playoff series that have gone at least six games.
After regaining the series lead with Monday’s victory, the Celtics are now -150 favourites to close out the series with a win in Game 6. Boston has steadily gained momentum since arriving in the bubble, overcoming a late-season 3-6 SU run by posting outright wins in 11 of its past 14 contests, including a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
The Celtics’ resurgence is reflected on the NBA championship odds, where they now sit at a short +450 at betting sites. Boston sports a steady 10-4 against the spread record in its past 14 outings, ending a dismal 1-5-3 ATS run. In addition, the Celtics hold a clear edge when battling the Raptors as slim favourites, going 4-1 SU and ATS in their past five while favoured by three or fewer points.
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