Pick against the spread, over/under for Raptors vs. Hornets on Friday

The NBA continues its return from the All-Star break with an Eastern Conference battle tonight as the Toronto Raptors head south to visit the Charlotte Hornets.

Toronto (32-25) was on a roll heading into All-Star weekend, winning eight of 10 games before the break. Fred VanVleet has led the charge for the team, earning his first All-Star selection by averaging 21.6 points and seven assists per game. Pascal Siakam has also put up strong numbers, putting up 21.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. VanVleet is questionable tonight with knee soreness.

Charlotte (29-31) sputtered mightily before the break, losing nine of the last 10 games. The team trailed off offensively during that stretch, averaging 108 points on 41.6% shooting. Both Miles Bridges and first-time All-Star LaMelo Ball have averaged 20 points and seven rebounds per game this season.

Toronto enters the game as a 2.5-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 226.5.

Raptors vs. Hornets, 7:00 p.m. ET

Pick ATS: Raptors -2.5

Toronto is 33-23-1 against the spread and has dominated Charlotte by double digits in the prior two matchups. Both teams have had an equal amount of rest but lay it with the hotter team on the road here.

Over/Under: Under 226.5

Charlotte was one of the more over-friendly teams in the league for a huge chunk of the season but that changed with the cold streak before the break. It’ll take both squads a few games to get back into a rhythm so it’d be a smart move to lean into the under here.

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