The Raptors are featured in a nationally televised game on Peacock? What reality are we living in?
Toronto will welcome the Cavaliers to Scotiabank Arena on Monday night, already the third time this season that these two Eastern Conference rivals will square off. The Raptors have won the first two meetings — both in Cleveland — though the Cavaliers weren’t technically at full-strength for either contest. They’ll look to enact some revenge this evening, while also leapfrogging Toronto for the second seed in the East.
Can Cleveland pick up a win? Or will the Raptors get their eighth straight victory and sweep the season series? Let’s preview tonight’s game with the help of some of some odds and lines on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors prediction, preview
With both teams on the second leg of a back-to-back set, it will be interesting to see who ends up playing in tonight’s tilt. On Cleveland’s side of the ledger, Jarrett Allen has missed his team’s past two games with a finger issue, though the big man was reportedly close to suiting up for Friday’s win versus the Pacers, and might’ve only been in street clothes on Sunday in order to be available this evening. Then there’s Darius Garland. The point guard has been limited to five starts in 2025-26 due to a nagging toe injury, yet Garland did log 29.5 minutes in yesterday’s win over the Clippers. The former All-Star has yet to play on consecutive nights this season, and it’s unclear if that pattern will break just over a month into the Cavaliers’ schedule. Lonzo Ball was held out against Los Angeles, and the veteran would be ready to step into Garland’s void, depending on what the organization decides.
In a similar sense, the Raptors rested Jakob Poeltl for Sunday’s victory versus the Nets, as the center has been dealing with a wonky back for much of the preseason and regular season. However, not everyone on Toronto’s roster is entering this game healthy and energized. RJ Barrett was forced to exit yesterday’s matchup mid-way through the third quarter with a knee injury that was severe enough that it required imagining on Monday morning. It is extremely unlikely that Barrett is ready to go tonight, which would be his first absence of 2025-26. Barrett is second on Toronto in points per game (19.4) and he’s shooting a career-best 50.6% from the field through 17 starts. That said, there are many that believe Barrett should be the odd man out when projecting long-term with the Raptors, as the Canadian wing does present a somewhat clunky fit alongside Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes. This season, Toronto is outscoring opponents by 14.0 points per 100 possessions with Barrett off the floor. Gradey Dick and Ja’Kobe Walter are the top candidates to replace Barrett in the starting lineup.
Regardless of Barrett’s status, Monday should be a good litmus test for the Raptors, who have taken advantage of a soft schedule to win their last seven contests. Over its past 10 games, Toronto owns a +12.3 net rating, a mark that only trails Oklahoma City (19.5) in the hierarchy of the NBA. For the season as a whole, the Raptors possess the league’s fifth-best offensive rating (119.2) and its best assist-to-turnover ratio (2.18). Your milage may vary with how much you trust Toronto going forward, but its undeniable that its been one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams to start the season. It’s also a little surprising to see the Raptors as a 2.5-point home dog on the DraftKings Sportsbook in this Monday matchup.
Cavaliers vs. Raptors pick, best bet
Best Bet: Scottie Barnes 20+ Points (+108)
Barnes has failed to exceed this prop in four of his last five starts, yet his usage rate is 29.2% with Barrett off the court this season — up from only 21.7% when the duo are sharing minutes. Barnes also averages 29.3 points per 75 possessions with Barrett on the sideline.
