Raptors ride ATS slide into game against Kawhi Leonard, Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, speaks with head coach Doc Rivers after being taken out of the game during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans in Los Angeles, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. (Kelvin Kuo/AP)

The Toronto Raptors have failed to cover the spread at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com in each of their last four outings as they prepare to play host to Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers as opening 1.5-point underdogs on the NBA odds on Wednesday night.

Leonard will be making his first and only appearance in Toronto this season and will receive his championship ring in a ceremony ahead of Wednesday night’s Clippers vs. Raptors betting matchup at Scotiabank Arena.

But once the formalities are complete it will be back to business for the Raptors, who find themselves mired in their first slump of the season. The team is coming off a narrow 93-92 win in Chicago on Monday night as 6-point betting favourites, which snapped a three-game straight-up losing streak that featured a pair of losses on home court.

That current two-game, straight-up home slide marks just the second time in 2019 that the Raptors have lost in consecutive home games. The Raptors have not fallen to defeat in three straight home outings since back in December 2015.

The over remains a reliable wager in totals betting when the Raptors play at home, going 8-3 this season, and 12-4-1 in 17 regular-season home dates since mid-March according to the OddsShark NBA Database. However, the Raptors have produced mixed results against the Clippers, earning SU wins in just three of their last seven overall meetings while going 2-1 SU and ATS in three home matchups during that stretch. That was capped by a decisive 121-103 victory as 9.5-point chalk back in February.

The Clippers arrive in Toronto after improving to 2-1 SU and ATS on their current six-game road trip with a 110-99 win in Indiana as 3-point underdogs at online sports betting sites on Monday night. Overall, the Clippers have played steady ball since opening on a 7-5 SU run, going 11-2 SU in their past 13 games with their only two defeats coming in San Antonio and Milwaukee.

Los Angeles has also regularly rewarded bettors, going 6-3 ATS over its past nine, but has struggled at times on the road. Prior to their current two-game road win streak the Clippers compiled a meagre 3-8 SU record over their previous 11 regular-season away contests, going 2-8-1 ATS during that stretch.

[relatedlinks]

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.