The Portland Trail Blazers (17-45) host the Toronto Raptors (23-40) for a late Saturday game. Portland will attempt to end their three-game skid as they continue their six-game home stand. The Trail Blazers have been one of the worst teams in the NBA this season. Their rebuild has been a tough one, but they seem to have a burgeoning star in Anfernee Simons.
The Raptors have had their own struggles this season. They are currently six games behind the 10th place Atlanta Hawks for the final spot in the play-in tournament, but time is running out. Toronto has dropped four of their last five games, and tonight needs to be a get-right game on the road.
Which struggling team can pull out the victory in this battle of futility?
Portland Trail Blazers vs Toronto Raptors Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | MoneyLine |
| Portland Trail Blazers | +2.5
-105 |
O 227
-112 |
+120 |
| Toronto Raptors | -2.5
-115 |
U 227
-108 |
-142 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Portland Trail Blazers vs Toronto Raptors Game Details
- Fixture: Toronto Raptors @ Portland Trail Blazers
- Date and Time: March 9, 2024 @ 10:00 pm EST
- Location: Moda Center in Portland, Oregon
Apex Tale of the Tape
|
Portland Trail Blazers |
vs. |
Toronto Raptors |
| 17-45 | Record | 23-40 |
| 107.8 | Points Per Game | 114.1 |
| 44.0 | FG% | 47.5 |
| 35.2 | 3PT% | 35.5 |
| 41.8 | Rebounds Per Game | 43.7 |
| 116.0 | Points Allowed Per Game | 118.0 |
| 49.4 | Defensive FG% | 48.7 |
| 35.2 | Defensive 3PT% | 37.6 |
| 79.2 | FT% | 74.5 |
| 20.6 | Fouls Per Game | 18.3 |
| 2-3 | Last 5 W-L | 1-4 |
| 97.57 | Team Pace |
99.33 |
Key Stats
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers are going through a rebuild after dealing superstar Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason. Anfernee Simons looks like he is the future of the organization, averaging 22.8 ppg this season. The problem is…where else does Portland look for production? Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, and Deandre Ayton are game-time decisions for tonight’s matchup, while Shaedon Sharpe is out until mid-April.
Grant has been very solid this season from a scoring standpoint, averaging 21.1 ppg, while Malcolm Brogdon, Ayton, and Henderson have also provided double digit scoring…when healthy. In March, Duop Reath has been a bit of a revelation for the Portland, averaging 17.6 ppg and 5.0 rpg over his last five games.
Toronto Raptors
As unlikely as it seems for Toronto to make the play-in portion of the postseason, they still have an outside shot. A victory over the Trail Blazers tonight would go a long way in helping that effort. They have a solid core of wing players with Scottie Barnes (19.9 ppg), RJ Barrett (20.6 ppg), and Immanuel Quickly (17.5 ppg), but they need more production out of their post players.
If the Toronto Raptors can start stringing some wins together, they have an outside chance at catching the Atlanta Hawks. With only 19 games remaining in the regular season, they better play with a bit more urgency.
Game Prediction
This game will be one to moniter up until game-time. With Portland claiming Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, and Deandre Ayton are game-time decisions, I would wait to make a bet here. If they do not go, Toronto should win this game pretty easily. Portland is coming off a loss on Friday to Houston, and the backend of back-to-back games is generally a tough one.
For Toronto, Bruce Brown and Jakob Poeltl are out for tonight’s matchup, but their dynamic wings should help carry them to victory if they Portland trio is also out. If Portland is at full strength, the Blazers could pull this one out.
Final Pick
Scenario One: The Game-Time Decisions are Out
Toronto Raptors -2.5
Scenario Two: The Game-Time Decisions Play
Portland Trail Blazers +2.5, +120 ML
About the Author
Not only a writer and contributor of Total Apex Sports, Tom Harvey is also the co-founder of dynastyprosfootball.com
Tom has been writing about professional wrestling, college football, NFL, and fantasy football for over a decade and is an avid sports fan. A graduate of the University of Tennessee with a History degree, he loves all things Vols. He is also a massive Atlanta Braves and Dallas Cowboys fan. As an “Army Brat,” Tom has lived all over the country and abroad, so he has an appreciation of most sports and fan bases.
Follow Tom on X @dynastyprostom and subscribe to Dynasty Pros Football on YouTube for fantasy football content.
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