The Sacramento Kings head North of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors in Tuesday NBA action at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Kings are 24-22 as of the close of January 20th and if you put that record in the East, the Kings would have easily been at 6th place. But because they play in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, Sacramento is just 9th in West and looking outside the playoff picture. However, they are only four games behind #3 Oklahoma City, meaning if the Kings finish strong, they won’t just enter the playoff picture but even possibly get home court advantage.
Entering Monday’s games, Buddy Hield leads Sacramento in scoring with 20.5 points per game. Hield is also contributing 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Kings. Willie Cauley-Stein is putting up 13.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game But what’s fast tracked Sacramento this season is the play of second year man De’Aaron Fox who is averaging 17.6 points, 7.3 assists and 1.78 steals per game.
The Kings are the 6th highest scoring team in the league at 114.0 points per game and they are also 8th in the passing department at 25.8 assists per game. However, their struggles have been on defense as Sacramento is only 20th in the NBA in rebonding at 44.6 boards per contest and just 26th in scoring defense at 115.1 points per game allowed.
The Toronto Raptors enter this matchup with the second best record in the NBA at 35-13, just half a game behind their Eastern Conference rivals Milwaukee Bucks who are at 33-12 prior to Monday’s games. The Raptors are coming off a 119-90 win over Memphis and have won seven out of their last eight games played.
Kawhi Leonard has been the difference maker for the Raptors. The former Defensive Player of the Year winner is averaging 27.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game. All-Star guard Kyle Lowry is helping Leonard with 13.9 points and 9.4 assists per game while Serge Ibaka is putting up a 16.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
The Raptors rank 7th in team scoring at 113.9 points per game and are also 9th in scoring defense at 108.3 points per game allowed. Toronto averages 24.3 assists per game, putting them at 16th in that department. The Raptors are also hauling down 45.0 rebounds per game which is the 17th best average in the league.
Sacramento is 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played and the Kings are 1-2 SU on the road during that stretch. Toronto is 8-2 SU in their last 10 games played. The Raptors went 6-0 SU in their last six home games played. Head to head, the Raptors are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games against the Kings.
The Kings are playing on the 2nd of a back to back schedule and their third game in four nights. Sacramento is 10-13 on the road and is coming off a 29 point loss in Brooklyn the night before. The Raptors are 20-4 at home this season and Toronto has won nine in a row at the Scotia Bank Arena. They are also well rested having not played the last two days. Given Sacramento plays a high pace and uptempo style of basketball. I know they are young and all but I think they are in a bad spot here, playing the 2nd best team in the league on the 2nd of a back to back and on the road.
I think the Raptors take this game. Not only are they playing at home, they are well-rested and yes of course, they are the better team this season. Give me the home team here. I’m picking the Toronto Raptors to beat the Sacramento Kings on 1/22/19.
The Kings are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games overall and 1-2 ATS on the road during that period. The Raptors are 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games played and 4-2 ATS in six home games during that span. Head to head, Toronto is 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 games against the Kings.
Sacramento is 2-6 ATS in their last eight games versus teams with winning records and 0-7 ATS in their last seven games when playing on zero days rest and 1-5 ATS in their last six road games played. Meanwhile, the Raptors are 4-2 ATS in their last six home games played. Toronto hasn’t been a standout against the spread but neither have been the Kings. However, this one’s a double digit spread and given Toronto beat Phoenix and Washington by only two points each most recently, I’m not inclined to give away double digit points even to the Raptors. Sacramento is playing well as of late winning four of five. I’ll take the plus points and roll with the underdog. Prediction:Kings +11
The total has gone under in eight out of the last 10 games played by the Kings. The under is 5-2 in Sacramento’s last seven home games. The total has gone over is 7 out of the last 10 games of the Raptors. Toronto has seen the over and under split 3-3 in their last six home games played.
Head to head, the under is 7-0 in the last seven games between these two teams and the under is also 4-1 in their last five meetings in Toronto. Sacramento is a high scoring team but given the mileage they’ve used in the last four days, I’m expecting them to struggle here, especially against a rested Raptors team that is waiting for then in Toronto. Prediction: Under 229.5
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