Raptors vs. Suns Betting Preview January 30: Phoenix to Prevail vs. Toronto (Archive)
NBA Pick: Suns ML (-121) at Bookmaker (visit our Bookmaker Review)
The Toronto Raptors will be without starting forward OG Anunoby on Monday when they make their lone visit of the season to Phoenix. Which side of the 1.5-point spread has the best value at the top-rated online books (actually we recommend the short moneyline)? We also have a total play.
AZ locals and sports betting fans can place their wagers at any of the top Arizona betting sites.
Toronto Raptors vs. Phoenix Suns
Monday, January 30, 2023 – 09:00 PM EST at Footprint Center
No national TV for this matchup between the disappointing Raptors (23-28) and Suns (26-25). Toronto would not even make the Eastern Conference play-in tournament as things stand and Phoenix sits ninth in the West. Little doubt the Suns get into the Top 6 eventually once All-Star Devin Booker is back. Which might be Wednesday.
The Raptors go for the season sweep as they were 2-point home favorites on the NBA odds on Dec. 30 and beat the Suns 113-104. Gary Trent Jr. had one of his best games of the season with 35 points, five rebounds, and three steals. Pascal Siakam added 26 points and six assists, and OG Anunoby 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Chris Paul had 20 points and 12 assists but had six of the Suns’ season-worst 27 turnovers that led to 34 points for the Raptors. Deandre Ayton looked rather disinterested as he shot 2-for-10 and scored four points. Booker, Cam Johnson, Cameron Payne, and Landry Shamet were all out.
Phoenix has covered seven of the past nine at home in the series and leads 16-10 all-time there SU.
Raptors Without Anunoby?
Whether Raptors president Masai Ujiri decides to be a seller ahead of the Feb. 9 Trade Deadline likely will be determined by what happens on this current seven-game road trip through the Western Conference.
Is it worth Ujiri keeping the team intact simply to make the play-in tournament and then maybe lose in the first round of the East playoffs? Toronto is -165 at BMR’s top-rated books to be a play-in team, which means finishing somewhere between 7th-10th in the East.
There are rumors about trades for guards Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. and forward OG Anunoby, who would bring the most back assuming Pascal Siakam is untouchable. VanVleet and Trent Jr. both have player options after the season they are expected to decline, so Toronto would get nothing if they walk. Trent Jr. seems the most likely to go – the Knicks, Lakers, and Suns all have an interest.
The reported asking price for Anunoby is three first-round picks as the 25-year-old is signed through the 2024-25 season at a very team-friendly deal of around $19 million per season. He’s averaging 16.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while being tied for the league lead in steals at 2.1 per game. Anunoby can play/guard multiple positions so that’s why he’s valuable.
Out Again
It’s also why we will fade the Raptors because he’s expected to miss a second straight game with a wrist injury. Anunoby took a hard fall on Friday at Golden State and didn’t return or play Saturday as the Raptors won 123-105 in Portland. Take that win with a grain of salt as the Blazers were even more short-handed without starters Josh Hart and Jusuf Nurkic.
Precious Achiuwa started for Anunoby and had 27 points and 13 rebounds for his sixth double-double in just 27 games this season. He had six all of last season in 73 games and maybe is making Anunoby a bit expendable.
One thing the Raptors do well is take care of the ball, ranking first in the NBA in the fewest turnovers per game at 11.3. They had only eight against Portland. Toronto is 2-5 ATS on the NBA picks in its past seven following a double-digit win.
Suns Waiting On Booker
All-Star Suns guard Devin Booker hasn’t played since suffering a left groin strain on Christmas Day. It’s possible he returns Wednesday vs. Atlanta. Phoenix is 8-14 without Booker and averaging 108.8 points on 44.4% shooting. With him, the Suns are 18-11, averaging 116.0 ppg and shooting 47.6% from the field. Also still out are fellow guards Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne.
The Suns collapsed at first without Booker but won for the fifth time in six games Saturday, 128-118 in OT in San Antonio – an obvious trap spot on a one-game road trip. The Spurs entered 0-33 in games they've trailed by double digits and were down 13 in the fourth quarter but scored on 12 straight possessions to force OT.
Chris Paul had his best game of the season with 31 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. CP3 has double-digit assists in four straight games in his return from injury, averaging 22.3 points, 10.8 assists, and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 55.6%.
Mikal Bridges has become much more aggressive offensively as of late and had 25 points. He scored eight of the team’s 18 in OT and had a key block. Bridges has played in every possible game of his NBA career with the league’s longest active Ironman streak at 360 games in a row. Bridges also played in all 116 of his possible games at Villanova.
Deandre Ayton had 23 points and eight rebounds and has looked great in two games after missing three with a non-COVID illness.
Phoenix is 5-1 ATS in its past six overall. Simulations I have run have the Suns prevailing here 113-111.
The Picks
NBA Pick: Suns ML (-121) at Bookmaker
NBA Pick: Over 220 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports 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.