by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Jan 28, 2023
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
Where to watch: ROOT-SP+, SN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Blazers -5
FanDuel: Blazers -5
BetMGM: Blazers -4.5
Caesars: Blazers -4.5
Season record
Raptors: 22-28
Blazers: 23-25
The second half of the basketball season is upon us, and what a cluster we've got in the standings right now, right? So many teams are in the playoff hunt, so many teams not expected to make the playoffs are in the process of trying to prove people wrong. You know who doesn't need to be made wrong? Our champion handicappers who have been killing it all year long. Scott Rickenbach is coming off a 5-2-0 week over the last seven days, while Doc's Sports has been efficient at 14-8-0 over the last 30 days. Do you want to get on this winning? Make sure you're following our champion handicappers at bigal.com to celebrate in these moments!
Raptors - Blazers preview, prediction and analysis
The Portland Trail Blazers will attempt to win their third consecutive game, and build off a masterful performance from Damian Lillard when they host the Toronto Raptors at Moda Center on Saturday.
Lillard scored 60 points in perhaps what was one of the more efficient, masterful games that we have ever seen from someone that put up 60 points and did so in an incredibly effortless manner. Lillard scored 60 points in the 134-124 victory for the Blazers over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
Lillard shot 21-29 from the floor, made 9 of 15 from three point range, and only missed one of his 10 free throw attempts. that is something that is ridiculously efficient and is also incredibly masterful at the craft that he has put together. Jerami Grant finished with 19 points and 5 rebounds. Anfernee Simons also had 16 points as Portland shot with 57 percent from the flloor.
“I think any time you score 60 points it’s special, but I think this one I just felt like it came pretty simple," Lillard said. “I thought I played the game as it should’ve been played. I knew we needed to win so I came out with a mentality to attack and be aggressive, but it wasn’t like I just came out on fire. It wasn’t one of those games.”
It has not been the easiest of seasons for portland, just because I think a lot of people expected them to contend in the Western Conference this year, but there's so much going on and there is so much talent in the Western Conference that Portland is kind of getting overlooked at this current point in time.
“Next time I came down they double-teamed me and I just rose up for three real quick and then they came down and scored," Lillard said. "There was still time on the clock, but I wasn’t going to be that thirsty to come back down with that much time in the game just to get a career high."
Toronto has won two in a row and is looking for a third straight Victory following wins over the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings earlier this week. those ones had to feel good knowing Toronto squandered two opportunities against the likes of Boston and Milwaukee to actually show that they belong in this crowded Eastern conference.
Toronto is coming off a 113-95 win over the Sacramento Kings, in Sacramento, in what might have been the most impressive win of the season from that group. Pascal Siakam led with 26 points, 11 rebounbds and 7 assists.
“I like him shooting all those perimeter shots,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Siakam. “He just got back in command of the game.”
Prediction
You have to think there will be something of a letdown after Lillard went with that. Then again, much like how I feel right now, Portland will make something happen.Blazers 119, Raptors 113
Betting trends
Raptors are 11-9 ATS as an underdog this season.
Blazers are 10-6 ATS as a home favorite this season.
Blazers are 6-5 ATS after a division game this season.
Projected starting lineup
Raptors:
PG: Fred VanVleet
SG: Gary Trent Jr.
SF: O.G. Anunoby
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Pascal Siakam
Blazers:
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Anfernee Simons
SF: Josh Hart
PF: Jerami Grant
C: Jusuf Nurkic
Statistical leaders
Raptors:
Points: Pascal Siakam -- 25.1
Rebounds: Pascal Siakam -- 8.2
Assists: Pascal Siakam -- 6.5
Blazers:
Points: Damian Lillard -- 30.1
Rebounds: Jusuf Nurkic -- 9.7
Assists: Damian Lillard -- 7.4
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Toronto Raptors - Portland Trail Blazers prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NBA projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
