The odds are against the Raptors making the playoffs
The Chicago Bulls eliminated the Raptors in the play-in tournament and ripped away their playoff dreams last season. The Raptors finished at .500 with a 41-41 record, enough wins to host the first play-in tournament game. NBA betting sites are leaning towards them missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
The odds are at -180 for this team to miss the playoffs. The Raptors have +140 odds to make the playoffs this season. For context, the Atlanta Hawks — also 41-41 last season — have -230 odds to make the playoffs and +175 odds to miss the playoffs.
Despite losing VanVleet and not replacing him with another All-Star caliber player, there are a lot of reasons to feel good about picking the Raptors to make the playoffs. This team is built to compete now, Ujiri and the Raptors have made this clear. Some teams in the east are rebuilding and might not do everything in their power to make a run at the postseason.
As a result, the Raptors will have a great shot at making the play-in tournament. The Raptors most likely will not be a top six team in the east, so the most realistic path to the playoffs is the play-in tournament. They have enough talent to win one or two play-in games against any team as long as a top team does not fall into the play-in because of injuries. If the Raptors are healthy, they should have as good of a shot at making the playoffs as any of the other teams that did not finish top four in the conference.
Over/Under 36.5 wins for the season
An over/under of 36.5 wins seems low for a franchise that won a championship in 2019 and has made the playoffs almost every year over the past 10 seasons. Excluding last year and 2020, the Raptors have consistently outperformed expectations and been one of the most successful franchises during the regular season. There are only a handful of teams that have been as consistent and trustworthy as the Raptors have over the last 10 years.
At -115, betting the over for 36.5 wins this year should pay off, the biggest concern is whether or not the Raptors can stay healthy. The Raptors will have a lot of opportunities to pick up some wins against the better teams in the NBA because there is a lot of uncertainty in the league this year.
The Los Angeles Clippers have injury problems, the Memphis Grizzlies will start the season without Ja Morant, the Phoenix Suns just put their roster together, the Philadelphia 76ers might lose James Harden, the Golden State Warriors are aging, and more. The Raptors have enough talent to capitalize on these problems and pick up a few wins. They also have enough talent to beat the worst teams consistently.
Do they have a shot in the Atlantic division?
The Raptors have the worst odds to win the Atlantic division. The Raptors have +3000 odds to win the division on BetRivers. The Boston Celtics are the betting favourites at -230. If you want to bet on the Toronto Raptors this year, you should stay away from this bet. The Raptors have almost no shot. The other four teams — Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Brooklyn Nets — would need to be decimated by injuries for the Raptors to steal the division.
