Toronto vs Phoenix Prediction: Betting on the Suns

The Raptors and the Suns went directly to the playoffs last season, but this meeting could be more intriguing. Phoenix has to make do without their main star, Toronto has big problems, and the bookmakers are very cautious about the Canadian club's status as a favorite. Will Nick Nurse's team end their long losing streak?

When the Raptors played in Tampa for a year, they were pathetic to watch, and the home-court factor seemed especially important. After that, it's wild to see Toronto's five-game losing streak at Scotiabank Arena. The Canadian club is powerful by Eastern Conference standards and shouldn't be allowed to do that. Nick Nurse's team quickly fell to Sacramento State, Brooklyn, Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers, and Memphis, so the calendar has been challenging.

Toronto played their last game against the Grizzlies without Fred VanVleet, while Precious Achiuwa missed his recovery and Otto Porter Jr. is unlikely to play in the next two weeks. Against Memphis, Nick Nurse's men looked helpless on offense and lost 106-119. VanVleet's replacement, Malachi Flynn, made just 2 of 12 shots from the field, and OG Anunoby shot cleanly only from beyond the arc.

The Suns must find their reserves while the backcourters drop off one by one. Cameron Payne was once a good backup to Chris Paul, but he's now injured. Devin Booker followed him, then Landry Shamet. Dwayne Washington Jr. is now getting quite a few minutes, but despite losing his defensemen, big man Joc Landale has moved into the starting five. Mikel Bridges plays offensive guard Torrey Craig, at three, and Landale is a heavy forward. Monty Williams wants to focus on defense, but it's not working well.

Phoenix suffered its 4th loss in its last five games against Washington, 102-127. On offense, Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul came to the forefront. The Bahamian center scored 31 points and became the most productive player on the team. Paul was also good and made 8 of 15 field-goal attempts. The Suns fought on defense, but their opponent still managed to score, even on easy shots.

Phoenix can occasionally get bogged down in their half, and Toronto is a contender to dry up. Of course, that could change if Fred VanVleet returns, but the Raptors need more inventiveness on offense now. The Suns have some excellent personnel players, and the Canadian club likes isolation so the 1-on-1 defense could work. The teams barely reached 225 points in the last faceoff, even though Toronto scored more than 40% of their threes and Phoenix had Booker playing. It should be more boring now.

• We need your feedback! If you enjoy our free betting tips and content, we invite you to write a review on Trustpilot. Find the icon in the footer of the site.