Celtics Aim for Sixth Straight Win Against Raptors Tonight

Toronto, Canada – The Boston Celtics are set to face the Toronto Raptors in an Atlantic Division showdown at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night, seeking to extend their winning streak to six games.

The Celtics, who hold a 41-16 record, recently dispatched the New York Knicks with a score of 118-105. Meanwhile, the Raptors aim to build on their impressive 127-109 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Boston currently sits second in the Eastern Conference and leads the Atlantic Division, boasting a strong 23-6 record on the road. In contrast, Toronto lingers at fifth in the division with a 18-39 overall record, showing a much cooler 13-18 mark at home.

Key players in this matchup include Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, who will not participate due to rest, and Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, who is questionable with a hip injury.

The game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET. Boston has won two of their three meetings with Toronto this season, but the Raptors took the last matchup, defeating the Celtics 110-97 on January 15.

In terms of betting, the Celtics are 11-point favorites according to the latest odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for combined points stands at 226.

The SportsLine Projection Model, which has demonstrated a strong track record by simulating each NBA game 10,000 times, has returned over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated picks over the past six seasons. The model enters Week 19 of the NBA season with a record of 147-106 on all top-rated NBA picks, yielding nearly $4,000.

When projecting outcomes for the Celtics-Raptors game, the model indicates an expectation of 216 total points. Additionally, the model suggests that one side of the spread is likely to succeed in more than 50% of simulations.

Among the standout performers for the Celtics, small forward Jayson Tatum has emerged as a focal point of the offense, nearly achieving back-to-back triple-doubles, while averaging 26.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists this season.

Shooting guard Jaylen Brown has also been prolific, with several 20-plus point games recently, averaging 22.9 points along with contributions in rebounds and assists.

For the Raptors, shooting guard RJ Barrett is experiencing a scoring surge, averaging 21.9 points, while forward Scottie Barnes remains a reliable scoring option, also consistently contributing rebounds and assists.

The matchup promises to be a clash of high-stakes basketball as the Celtics look to assert themselves further in the race for playoff positioning, while the Raptors aim to find their footing and turn their season around.