The Toronto Raptors will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak when they return home on Wednesday to take on the Indiana Pacers as opening 7-point favourites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Racked by injuries to a number of key personnel, Toronto closed out its recent four-game western swing with a 95-86 loss in Denver, and has now fallen to defeat in five of eight outings ahead of Wednesday’s Pacers vs. Raptors betting matchup at Scotiabank Arena.
Kawhi Leonard led the attack in the Raptors’ losing effort against the Nuggets as 3-point road underdogs. Toronto’s star forward picked up 29 points and 14 rebounds to lead all scorers in his second game back after missing the first two dates on last week’s road trip.
But while Leonard has returned to form, the team remains limited by injuries that have sidelined Jonas Valanciunas and left the status of Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, and Fred VanVleet uncertain for their date with the Pacers.
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Complicating matters is the Raptors’ recent uneven play on home hardwood. Toronto has compiled a middling 4-4 SU record over its past eight home dates. The Raptors have struggled to put up big point totals during that stretch, averaging just 105 points per game over their past three home outings.
The Raptors also continue to be a disappointment on the betting lines, covering in consecutive contests just once during a 7-12 run against the spread, which includes a 2-6 ATS record in their past eight home dates, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.
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Despite such worrisome trends, the Raptors have remained resilient on the NBA championship odds, where they continue to sit second only to Golden State as a stable +700 wager, and lead the way as +185 favourites to win the Eastern Conference.
The Raptors have also dominated the Pacers in meetings at Scotiabank Arena, winning outright in nine straight regular-season clashes since March 2013, and covering in eight of those contests at online sports betting sites.
The Pacers look poised to change that narrative as they arrive in town as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, with a seven-game SU win streak having just come to an end on Tuesday night at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pacers had played stifling defence during their longest SU win streak since February 2016, surrendering just 96.4 points per game.
However, the Pacers have struggled to pay out when pegged as underdogs of seven or more points, going 2-8 SU in their past 10 such outings, and covering just twice in their past six.
