Thursday Night Action: Raptors Aim to Even NBA Playoff Series Versus Philadelphia
Is It Time For Philadelphia to Hit The "Panic Button" Against Toronto?
After leading the Raptors 3-0 in the first-round of the playoffs, the 76ers now find themselves up 3-2 heading back to Toronto for Game 6, while tensions within the organization seem to be rising
76ers are favoured by -1.5 versus the Raptors – with the Betting Total at 209
Can Toronto possibly win 4 straight games and complete what would be the ultimate playoff comeback?
That electrifying possibility remains to be seen because, first the streaking Raptors desperately need to win Game 6, tipping off Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena.
After the 76ers made a mockery of the Raptors in the first three games, jumping out to a breezy 3-0 lead, and despite suffering some key injuries, Toronto scratched and clawed its way back into contention. The first-round playoff series currently stands at 3-2 in favour of the Sixers, but the momentum has clearly shifted towards the Raptors.
Nevertheless, oddsmakers at Spreads.ca still have visiting Philadelphia favoured in this road game by -1.5 points. The game total is far lower than average, at just 209. See a screenshot of the latest wagering options on this game at Spreads.ca.
Note the game starts at 7:00 pm EST.
Our Prediction (powered by Poinstpreads.ca):
It seems that everything for the Sixers hinges on Game 6.
Should the favourites fail to close out this series in Toronto, they could be mentally wrecked for Game 7, which would take place on Saturday.
Philadelphia has gone “all-in” in a quest for an NBA championship by trading for James Harden, but once again we're seeing that stars don't guarantee wins (recall the Brooklyn Nets collapse in the first round versus Boston).
In fact, panic is definitely beginning to set in for Philadelphia. even they still lead in the series.
Our thought is -- playoff basketball is as much a mental game as a physical one. For this reason, we'll stick with the hot-handed Raptors as small home underdogs.
