Categories
NBA

Sacramento Kings vs. Toronto Raptors Free Pick & Preview

Kings vs Raptors Online Betting Odds

The Sacramento Kings will make the trip north of the border to the Air Canada Centre for a date with the Toronto Raptors on Friday. The Kings come to town having followed up three consecutive losses with back-to-back wins, while the Raptors have won seven of their last nine games.[ad-4468020]

Sacramento Kings (22-39) at Toronto Raptors (33-26)
Date: Friday, March 7, 2014
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Air Canada Centre
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
O/U Odds: 205
Spread: Toronto -6

[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

ATS Matchup Insight | CappersPicks Insider Preview

The Raptors had a four-game layoff come at a pretty inopportune time after winning seven of nine and picking up a big win over a good Golden State team.

Toronto won that game 104-98 on their home court, and while they allowed Stephen Curry to do some damage, hitting on 13 of 27 shots for 35 points, and surrendered 20 points and 11 rebounds to David Lee, they were able to shut down the team’s secondary options, holding Andre Iguodala to eight points, and limiting Klay Thompson to just 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting.

As a team, the Warriors were held to 42.0 percent shooting from the field, more than three percentage points below their season average.

Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan paced the team in scoring, hitting on 10 of 16 shots from the field and 11 of 12 shots from the free throw line to finish with 32 points, adding six assists, four rebounds, and a steal.
[ad-6571516]
The Raptors will be welcoming back forward Rudy Gay, who will play in Toronto for the first time since being traded to Sacramento. The Raptors have been a completely different team since his departure, scoring more efficiently while playing better defense.

The move also pumped up the team’s bench, as new acquisitions Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, John Salmons, and Chuck Hayes have all given the Raptors quality minutes off the bench.

Gay had shot just 38.8 percent from the field with Toronto, but his play has improved significantly with Kings. Gay has averaged 20.8 points per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field with Sacramento.

Gay had 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting in the team’s last game, a 116-102 win over Milwaukee in Wisconsin.

Sacramento shot 52.0 percent from the field in that win, though they could be in for more of a test against a Raptors defense that ranks fourth in the Association in points allowed, and they’ll surely be motivated after dropping the first meeting between these teams this season, 109-101 on Feb. 5.

The Raptors will want to make a statement on their home court against the player they traded away in a move that significantly changed the course of their season, and they should be able to do so as they’ll be well rested, having been off since Sunday.

The Raptors are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400.

The play: Toronto -6

By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!