Portland Trail Blazers vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 09/03/2024, 05:55  by Devesh Jaganath in NBA Predictions

The Toronto Raptors will pay a visit to the Moda Center to take on the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA on Saturday night. The hosts are 17-45 and 14th in the Western Conference, while the visitors are 23-40 and 12th in the Eastern Conference. 

The Toronto Raptors find themselves in a slump, having lost four of their last five games overall. They’ll aim to halt their slide and avoid a third consecutive defeat following a 120-113 road loss to the Suns on Thursday. Gary Trent Jr. led the team's offensive effort with 30 points on 11 of 22 shooting, while RJ Barrett chipped in with 23 points. Offensively, the Raptors average 114.1 points per game, placing them 17th in the league. However, defensively, they struggle, allowing opponents to score 118.0 points per game, ranking 22nd in the league in this regard. Their defensive field goal and three-point percentages stand at 48.7% and 37.6%, respectively. The Raptors will face additional challenges as Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, and Bruce Bowen are all sidelined for this matchup.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been struggling significantly, losing 12 of their last 14 games overall following a disappointing 123-107 loss to the Rockets last night. Dalano Banton led the team with an impressive performance, tallying 30 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Anfernee Simons added 23 points. Offensively, the Trail Blazers are averaging 107.8 points per game, placing them 28th in the NBA. Defensively, they concede an average of 115.9 points per game, positioning them 17th in the league. Their defensive challenges are evident, with opponents shooting 49.4% from the field against them. However, they have displayed some proficiency in defending the three-point shot, limiting teams to a 35.2% success rate. Portland is facing significant injury concerns, with eight players listed as injured, including key figures such as Shaedon Sharpe, Robert Williams, and Jerami Grant.