Raptors favoured in season opener, Damian Lillard rumours, and chances in the East

Rumours about the Toronto Raptors potentially trading for Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard have been circling around the NBA world. This upcoming season would be one of the most intriguing seasons in Toronto since the Raptors traded for Kawhi Leonard if a deal gets done. Whether or not adding Lillard to the team would make the Raptors a legitimate championship contender this season is up for debate, but right now the Raptors have the ninth best odds to win the Eastern Conference on NBA betting sites. They are favoured to win their season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Raptors season opener details

The Raptors will play against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 25 in Toronto. They are -1.5 favourites on 888Sport. Last season, the Raptors were able to win their first game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Timberwolves look a lot like they did last year. The core of center Karl-Anthony Towns, guard Anthony Edwards, and center Rudy Gobert will lead them again this year. They added guard Shake Milton and forward Troy Brown Jr. to the roster. The Raptors lost guard Fred VanVleet to the Houston Rockets and signed Dennis Schroder.

This will be Schroder’s first game as a Raptor, and he will probably have a big role on the team with VanVleet in Houston. Whether or not he can have a strong first game should have a big impact on the outcome because the Timberwolves have the same core players. The Raptors do not have a lot of depth, and VanVleet was one of their best players over the last couple of seasons. The Timberwolves should win this game for the reasons mentioned above, but a Lillard trade could change the Raptors fortunes.

Raptors chances in the East

At +5000 on 888sport, the Raptors currently have the ninth best odds to win the East. The Boston Celtics are the betting favourites with +200 odds, the Milwaukee Bucks are second at +285, and the Miami Heat — the other team in the mix for a Lillard trade — have the third best odds at +425. The Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards have the worst odds with +20000.

If you expect Damian Lillard to be in a Raptors jersey at any point this season, this is the perfect time to place a bet. The odds will probably change a lot if the Raptors can pull off a trade. It is hard to believe that the Raptors would win another championship in their first season with another star player acquired via trade, but they would probably be one of the favourites to win the East with Lillard and Siakam. Without Lillard, the Raptors are worth considering because of the potential payout. If Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby take their games to the next level, the Raptors will be a tough team to beat in a playoff series. After the Miami Heat reached the NBA Finals as the eight seed last season, the East looks wide open.

Raptors futures

You can bet on a lot of other futures, like whether or not the Raptors will win the NBA title and awards. We wrote about their chances in a previous article. The article takes a look at their odds to make the playoffs, over/under win total for the season, and if they can win the Atlantic Division. You can also check out an article about which Raptors have a shot at winning an award this season and their odds. For example, why Scottie Barnes is a great pick to win the Most Improved Player award.