The Raptors had their sports movie moment in Game 6 when RJ Barrett’s go-ahead 3-pointer bounced perfectly above the rim and hovered for what seemed like an eternity before falling through to stun the Cavaliers and force tonight’s Game 7.
If momentum really does carry from game to game in the NBA playoffs, it would be hard to imagine the Raptors ceding ground to the Cavaliers even if this game is being played in Cleveland.
That said, the home team has won every game in this series so far, and oddsmakers have pegged the Cavs as 8.5-point favorites Sunday night.
When this matchup was set after Game 82, no one expected that Barrett and Scottie Barnes would be the top two scorers in a series that includes Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
Toronto’s precocious pair of forwards have been unbelievable in this series. Barnes has thoroughly out-played Evan Mobley, who was taken one spot ahead of Barnes in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Barrett took on an increased scoring burden with Immanuel Quickley out for the first round and Brandon Ingram, who struggled all series and missed most of Game 5 and all of Game 6 with a heel injury.
It’s not just scoring that has the Raptors one win away from the second round. Their defense has really bothered the Cavaliers. Cleveland’s playoff offense has dropped by 5.3 points per 100 possessions compared to the regular season.
Mitchell is struggling to score at the rim because Barnes is swatting his shots left and right, and Jamal Shead is hounding him up the floor, making life difficult.
Harden also hasn’t been as good as the regular-season version of himself, which is the biggest knock on his otherwise Hall-of-Fame-level career. Barrett has limited Harden’s impact with solid defensive performances since Game 3.
Nothing about the Raptors’ success in this series feels fluky, including Barrett’s clutch 3-pointer from Game 6. The former Knick has shot it well throughout.
I expect the Raptors to keep the pressure on the Cavs and push them to the brink here.
The Pick: Raptors +8.5 (-105, Caesars)
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
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