The Toronto Raptors will try to hold off elimination again this Monday evening on NBA TV as they trail the series 3-1 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Toronto was able to win Game 4 by a final of 110-102 on Saturday. Let’s see what the NBA odds for this matchup tell us!
Toronto Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Monday, April 25, 2022 – 08:00 PM EDT at Wells Fargo Center
The 76ers (41-44-1 ATS) are a 7.5-point favorite over the Raptors (47-38-1 ATS) at BMR’s top-rated sportsbooks. Toronto is now 5-3 ATS against the 76ers this season. Can Toronto keep the season alive while Joel Embiid battles through a key injury?
Game 4 Recap: Raptors 110, 76ers 102
The Raptors were able to put Game 3’s overtime heartbreaker behind them with elimination at home on the line in Saturday’s Game 4. Toronto led for over 36 minutes, but the 76ers were always within striking distance. It was not until the final three minutes that the Raptors really pulled away to earn their first victory in the series.
Pascal Siakam had his best game of the series with a game-high 34 points. After Siakam failed to get to the free-throw line even once in 48 minutes played in Game 3, he was 13-of-15 at the line on Saturday, his most makes and attempts in a game this season.
Join Now: $1,000 BMR 12-Week All Sports Challenge
Not all the news was good for Toronto. Guard Fred VanVleet left after 14 minutes of action with a hip injury. He is questionable to go on Monday night. He has had the worst series shooting the ball, especially in the last three games where he is 12-of-42 from the field. But he has led the team in assists (6.3 per game) during this series.
Philadelphia MVP candidate Joel Embiid ended the game by giving the officials a golf clap, but his health was a story coming into Saturday’s game. Embiid has a right thumb sprain that he plans to play through and will put off surgery until after the playoffs. Embiid had arguably the worst game he’s had against the Raptors with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, and the 76ers were a minus-5 with him in the game.
Embiid also finished with eight rebounds, ending a streak of 14 games in double figures. Embiid specifically acknowledged that the injury is making rebounding difficult. The Raptors won the rebound battle with a 46-41 edge on Saturday, but neither team shot particularly well. James Harden was only 5-of-17 from the field.
Does the Series End or Continue?
Only three teams in NBA history have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven series. All three lost in Game 7 too, and no one has forced it since the Portland Trail Blazers against the Dallas Mavericks in 2003.
There may be some “the sky is falling” feeling to this Philadelphia series, but the 76ers have still been the better team in this series even if the last two games could have easily gone Toronto’s way.
Siakam’s season-best aggressiveness to get to the line was likely a one-game anomaly, and with all the attention on the officials and foul disparities, chances are things will lean towards the 76ers at home in Game 5.
Check Out: BMR’s Sports Betting Forum
Embiid still seems capable of shooting with the injury, so that is good news for the 76ers. They also have some capable scorers in Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey to pick up any slack in that area. Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr. is an incredibly streaky player. He can score 42 points in Phoenix and drop eight the next game in Denver, which he did in March.
But Trent Jr. scored nine points and was 2-for-14 from the field in the two games in Philadelphia. He scored 24 points in each game in Toronto. With regression likely to hit Trent Jr. and Siakam on the road, and combined with VanVleet’s questionable health, things are looking just fine for the 76ers going into Monday night.
Check Out Our Video Section: Today’s Picks of the Day
But then again, Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers is the king of blowing 3-1 leads in the playoffs. He has done it three times, the most in NBA history.
Predictions
For your best bets, look for Embiid to rebound better and maybe get some home cooking from the refs. The 76ers are unlikely to match their home dominance from the first two games, but they should be able to cover and end this series for your NBA picks this Monday.
Score Prediction: 76ers 109, Raptors 99
NBA Pick: 76ers -7.5 (-110) with Bovada (visit our Bovada 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.
