Toronto Raptors at New Orleans Pelicans Free NBA Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 3/18/2014
Wednesday, March 19, 7:00 PM on FSNO
Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here
The Raptors are so close to their 2nd Atlantic Division title in team history and 1st since 2007 that they can smell it. The hard charging Nets aren't giving up though and stranger things have happened other than losing a 4 game cushion with 16 to play. As they say it's always better to be safe than sorry so the Raptors should just do their jobs against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Despite an improbable 3 game win streak recently, the Pelicans had dropped 10 of 13 games since the All-Star break which included only 4 spreads covered during that time. New Orleans has only been favored 4 times in their last 14 games (2 versus Milwaukee) and they look to be significant home underdogs on Wednesday.
The Raptors just need to take care of business down the stretch with 14 of their 17 remaining games coming against the Eastern Conference. Toronto has a slight edge over Chicago for the #3 seed in the East and they're currently lined up to face conference foe Brooklyn in the 1st round. Toronto just completed a stretch where they won 8 of 10 games straight up and an impressive 7-3 ATS.
Wednesday's spot is a tough one for the Raptors as they'll be on their second game of a back to back while New Orleans will have sat idle for two days. The last matchup in Toronto went just as oddsmakers expected with a 108-101 Raptors victory pushing the 7 point spread. The high scoring affair with nine total players hitting double digits went over the 194 total.
ATS Trends
Toronto is 22-10-0 ATS on the road this season
Toronto is 15-17-0 against the over/under on the road this season
New Orleans is 15-16-1 ATS at home this season
New Orleans is 17-15-0 against the over/under at home this season
Injuries to Watch
Toronto
03/10/14 F Patrick Patterson Elbow out indefinitely
New Orleans
02/18/14 G Jrue Holiday Leg out for season
01/19/14 F Jason Smith Knee out for season
01/07/14 F Ryan Anderson Stinger out indefinitely
Tony's Pick: Take Toronto
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