Will the Cavs make a statement?
The visitors have failed to qualify for the playoffs four times in the last five years, and in their only appearance, the Raptors were eliminated in the first round after losing the series 2-4 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The euphoria over their current postseason run is therefore immense in the “Big Smoke,” but in our view, the joy might not last long. In the Cavs, the Canadians face a formidable opponent whose quality has increased significantly since signing James Harden last February.
At 36, “The Beard” may be past his prime, but the sharp-shooting guard still has no shortage of skill. Since Harden joined Cleveland, Coach Kenny Atkinson’s team has recorded 20 wins and just six losses!
Additionally, the home team is currently fielding its full roster. This is an advantage that has been rare this season. We therefore view them as favorites and, for Game 1 of the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, are predicting a home win by at least an eight-point margin.
Furthermore, we believe Harden is capable of scoring at least 20 points. Since joining the Cavaliers, he has averaged 20.5 points, and we expect him to be just as strong in the playoffs.
Additionally, in our view, the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors betting odds on the hosts scoring more than 113.5 points could be worth a bet. With Harden’s arrival, the Cavs’ scoring has increased, and in seven of their last nine games, the team from “Forest City” has surpassed the selected point total.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors Head-to-Head Record
The Raps and Cavs have faced off three times this season, and Coach Darko Rajakovic’s Canadian squad has come out on top every time. Moreover, the visitors secured two of those three wins on the road, having previously lost four straight road games in Cleveland.
For this latest matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors, however, the odds now point toward a home win.
Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors Prediction
The Cavaliers have only reached the second round of the postseason in each of the last two seasons and have accordingly set their sights high for the upcoming playoffs. The roster is also ideally suited for a deeper run.
The home team boasts Donovan Mitchell, a top guard who averaged 27.9 points per game during the regular season. Additionally, the 2016 champions have two particularly strong centers in their ranks: Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
The signing of James Harden a little over two months ago further bolstered the starting five, and the former Rockets player is particularly helping Mitchell by taking on some of his scoring load. The vast experience of the 2018 MVP is, of course, also a major advantage.
In the first game of the series, the home team also aims to secure a statement victory right off the bat to unmistakably set the tone in their favor. Given this situation, for Game 1 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors, we’re selecting the bet with odds on a clear home win by at least an eight-point margin.
Admittedly, the visiting 2019 champions prevailed in all three regular-season games against the Cavs, but those matchups all took place in November of last year, when the hosts, among other things, did not yet have Harden on the roster and were fielding a weakened lineup at that time compared to today.
