Nets vs. Raptors NBA Picks: Should You Bet Against Kyrie Irving and Company? (Archive)
The Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors run it back after meeting last night in Brooklyn. With the teams right next to each other in the standings, this early March game will have long-standing effects on the season. Can the Nets bounce back from that loss last night and be the winning NBA pick?
Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Tuesday, March 1st, 2022 – 07:30 PM EST at Scotiabank Arena
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are sorely missing their star, Kevin Durant. Durant has missed time with a sprained MCL. The Nets are 24-12 in games that Kevin Durant plays this season. The .667 win percentage that the Nets have with Durant in the lineup would be good for first place in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they are in 8th Place and will need to run off a series of victories in order to avoid the Play-In tournament.
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The Nets will also be missing Kyrie Irving tonight. Because of the rules in Ontario, Irving is not allowed to play as an unvaccinated player. News around Irving's status has been all over the place. Originally it was reported that he would be able to play once the New York state vaccine mandate was lifted. Yet a subsequent report stated that the ban only applied to spectators in Barclays Center, and Irving still will not be able to play. The story around Irving's status has been a distracting subplot of the Nets' attempt to win the championship this season.
The Nets have fallen apart as of late, losing 15 of the last 21 games. The Nets have been 2-6 in their last eight home games. The Nets are hoping to gain some momentum before Durant's return. As awesome a weapon as Kevin Durant is, this current squad of players the Nets are fielding tonight would definitely enjoy having some wins under their belt. They definitely enjoyed their three-point win over the defending champion Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday night. Yet they were brought back to earth in Brooklyn last night.
Toronto Raptors
Has the high amount of minutes that Raptors head coach Nick Nurse plays his starters finally caught up to the Raptors? The Toronto Raptors suffered 2 large losses coming out of the All-Star break. The Raptors lost by 32 points against the Hornets and then 27 points against the Hawks after returning from the All-Star break. The Raptors players look tired and are suffering from lingering injuries. Is this a result of the highest minutes that Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse has pushed his players to perform? The Raptors were on fire but have had issues since the break.
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The Raptors definitely miss forward OG Anunoby who will be out for at least this week. Pascal Siakam is dealing with an injured thumb and Fred VanVleet is a game-time decision with a sore knee. VanVleet missed last night's matchup in Brooklyn. The Raptors have been giving it their all, even though they are not all 100%.
The Raptors' ability to defend has been the key to their success this season. With Anunoby out, this hurts the Raptor’s depth at the forward position, which is the strength of their team. This definitely puts more onus on Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes to step up and lead the team defensively. The Raptors will need solid performances from both Siakam and Barnes tonight, especially on the defensive end, if they are going to get another win.
Last Night’s Game
Toronto absolutely blew the doors off the Nets last night in Brooklyn. The Raptors won 133-97.
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Scottie Barnes definitely made up for the absence of OG Anunoby by making his first 11 shots en route to 28 points and 16 rebounds. The Raptors definitely got back on track after their two blowout losses. Precious Achiuwa had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Malachi Flynn did a great job in place of Fred VanVleet, scoring 18 points. The win moves the Raptors three games ahead of the Nets for 7th place. The Nets will definitely be looking for redemption. The 36 point loss to Toronto represents their 14th loss in the last 17 games. The Raptors also got the good news that they will be allowed to play at full capacity for the game tonight.
Best Bet
I think the Raptors will once again put it on the Brooklyn Nets. Their length and athleticism shone through and there are not a lot of adjustments the Nets can make. The Raptors simply made the Nets look old and slow. It's hard to make a line that would be big enough after watching last night's game. Tonight's best bet is the Toronto Raptors -8.5.
NBA Pick: Toronto Raptors -8.5 (-105) at Everygame (visit our Everygame Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.