It will be a quiet night in the NBA, with just one game taking place. At 7:40 p.m. EST, the Toronto Raptors host the New York Knicks.
This will mark the first time OG Anunoby takes the court in Toronto since being traded to the Knicks. The two teams did face off twice after the midseason trade, but Anunoby was injured during the trip up to Toronto. He did add 14 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in a 26-point victory when the Knicks hosted the Raptors. After spending the first seven years of his career in Toronto, expect a warm welcome for the 27-year-old.
Former Knick Immanuel Quickley will not be able to suit up against his former team due to an elbow injury, but RJ Barrett has played at a high level this year and will be ready to square off with the player he was traded for.
The Knicks enter this game with a 14-9 record while the Raptors are just 7-17 on the season. New York enters the matchup as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook while Toronto holds +200 odds on the moneyline. The game total is set at 231.5. Let’s take a look at my three favorite player props for the standalone matchup.
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 37.5 Points & Rebounds (-105)
The Knicks offense has looked drastically different this season following the offseason addition of Karl-Anthony Towns. While Jalen Brunson is still the straw that stirs the drink for the Knicks, Towns has raised the ceiling of the offense in the exact way they needed. There were some brief growing pains throughout the first few weeks, but Towns has settled in as a clean fit with the team.
Through the opening 21 games, Towns has averaged 25.2 points and 13.2 rebounds which both mark career-highs for the four-time All-Star. He is officially listed as questionable with a knee injury and missed the previous game against the Pistons. This will be a situation to monitor closer to tip-off, but assuming Towns can suit up, he should be in store for a big day.
This will be a great rebounding battle between Karl-Anthony Towns and Jakob Poeltl. Towns ranks second in the NBA in rebounding, while Poeltl is sixth with 11.6 rebounds per game. Expect both players to make an impact on the glass, but for Towns to excel when pulling Poeltl out on the perimeter on the offensive end. The former first-overall pick has recorded over 37.5 points and rebounds in 10 of the 21 games he has played on the season, including four of his last six games. Poeltl will struggle greatly when Towns has him in space and the Knicks big man can do some significant damage from beyond the three-point arc. Look for Towns to target Poeltl defensively while producing his usual rebounding output as he eclipses 37.5 combined points and rebounds for the third-consecutive outing.
Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 Assists (-148)
The Toronto Raptors are in a rebuilding period and their timeline is largely dictated by the development of Scottie Barnes. The signs have been encouraging for the 23-year-old. While he missed some time due to an orbital fracture, Barnes has averaged 21.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists across his first 13 games played. Toronto has increasingly put trust in Barnes to serve as the primary playmaker in the offense and he has delivered in these opportunities.
On Saturday, Barnes recorded a career-high 14 assists against the Dallas Mavericks. He also has led the Raptors in assists in each of the past five games, recording eight or more in each. He is especially effective when getting out in transition and running the offense on the fast break. New York has a solid overall defense but ranks 14th in assists allowed and 10th in points conceded.
Expect Toronto to continue living and dying with the growth of Barnes. His development is a higher priority than the game results and Barnes has shown reason for belief in his play. Playmaking has been a notable skill of his since college, and he is showing tangible steps toward growth each season in the league. Look for him to continue to run the offense for Toronto and eclipse 7.5 assists for the sixth-consecutive game.
OG Anunoby Over 2.5 Made Three-Pointers (+105)
Expect there to be plenty of buzz surrounding OG Anunoby in his return to Toronto. It has been an up-and-down season from a statistical standpoint, but he has been excellent in his role on this Knicks team. Overall, he is averaging 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.6 steals. The 6-foot-7 forward is also attempting 5.9 three-point attempts per game and connecting at a 38.2% rate. This comes out to an average of 2.3 three-pointers made per game. Throughout his career, he has averaged 4.5 three-point attempts and connected at a 37.7% rate.
The Raptors rank 20th in three-point attempts given up this season, although are 8th in three-point percentage allowed. Anunoby has made as many as seven three-pointers in a game this season and recorded over 2.5 made threes in 10 of the 23 games he has played in. He has been shooting the ball well as of late, hitting nine-of-19 three-point attempts across the past three games and making over 2.5 three-pointers in two of these matchups.
With some added motivation as he returns to the team that drafted him, look for this trend to continue. Expect his Knicks teammates to be well aware of the history and don’t be surprised if he is given some additional shot opportunities. Capitalize on the +105 odds and expect Anunoby to be eager to launch from the perimeter tonight.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
