It did not take long for Jason Kidd to return to the playoffs after retiring as a player, as he steered the no.6 Brooklyn Nets to the postseason. They will now face no. 3 Toronto Raptors, who’ll make their first venture in the playoffs since 2008.
Read on for everything you need to bet on this game and get into the playoff action today.
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Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Round 1, Game 1 Betting Preview
Series Schedule & Results
[sc:NBA240banner ]Game 1 – April 19, 12:30PM ET, Brooklyn (+2) at Toronto (-2); total 194.0 – view all NBA lines
Game 2 – April 22, 7:30PM ET, Brooklyn at Toronto
Game 3 – April 25, 7:00PM ET, Toronto at Brooklyn
Game 4 – April 27, 7:00PM ET, Toronto at Brooklyn
Game 5 (if necessary) – April 30, Brooklyn at Toronto
Game 6 (if necessary) – May 2, Toronto at Brooklyn
Game 7 (if necessary) – May 4, Brooklyn at Toronto
Betting on the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets reached the playoffs hobbling, as they went 1-4 SU in all of their last five games, not to mention failing to cover in any of those contests. That said, it wasn’t entirely by accident. The Nets were visibly tanking to line up the match up they eventually got against the Raptors, including benching all five starters in their final game of the season.
And now that they have it, Jason Kidd’s team had been used to this match up against an underrated Raptors team that finished the season red hot. With experience clearly on their side, the Nets are looking to regain the same spunk they had when they turned things around at the start of the year. Since January, Brooklyn is 34-17, the second best in the East during that stretch.
The player to watch out for Brooklyn is Paul Pierce. The crafty veteran has consistently delivered for the Nets as he averaged 13.5 PPG on the season. When up against the Atlantic division champions’ he is even better, scoring 19.8 PPG and adding 4.5 RPG in four games against the Raptors.
The Nets also needs its backcourt combo of Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston to replicate their fantastic performances when their team defeated the Raptors in the two team’s last meeting, 101-97, last March.
The two guards combined for 36 points in that game to counter the hotshot duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who combined for 35 points.
Betting on the Toronto Raptors
For the first time in the franchise’s history, the Toronto Raptors have reached the playoffs without either Vince Carter or Chris Bosh. For now, it’s Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan who towed the young bunch of Raptors to the postseason and will now have to wrestle the Nets in the first round.
They begin their newest journey into the postseason at home, where their games have gone over the total in each of their last six games at Air Canada Centre.
As the no. 3 seed in the East, Toronto has the home court advantage in the series and they plan to make full use of it. They’ve already set the tone by winning their last seven home games, including a 102-94 victory against the conference’s top-seeded Indiana Pacers early this month. Moreover, the Raptors are scoring better at home with a mark of 107.3 PPG in 41 games, compared to their 101.4 PPG clip on the road.
Location aside, the Raptors’ fates are going to heavily lean on Lowry and DeRozan. The backcourt duo has caused headaches to opposing teams throughout the season with Lowry (17.9 PPG, 7.4 APG) having an All-Star worthy season and DeRozan’s (22.3 PPG) athleticism, the Nets will have a tough time keeping in front of them.
Down low, Jonas Valanciunas has his game ready for the playoff wars, having put up an average of 18 points and 11.7 rebounds this April.
Writer’s Prediction
Pressure will come into play in this game, with the young Raptors feeling their nerves. The Nets will pounce on this and will subdue Toronto by three points. Take Brooklyn to cover its +2 spread.
