Clippers vs Raptors

Toronto fights at home, but L.A. has too much firepower

Grade A: Clippers Moneyline (-220)

The Clippers head to Toronto with both teams having a similar last ten games. The Raptors have leaned on Scottie Barnes, but he’ll have his hands full against Kawhi Leonard, who always seems to shine in his returns to Toronto. The Clippers’ balanced attack, led by Leonard and Paul George, should exploit the Raptors’ porous defense, especially with Jakob Poeltl still sidelined. Toronto has struggled to keep pace against elite Western Conference teams, and with L.A. pushing for better playoff seeding, expect the Clippers to control the tempo and secure the win.

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Toronto fights at home, but L.A. should pull away late

Grade A-: Clippers -5.5 (-105)

The Clippers, eager to improve their standing in the tightly packed Western Conference, take on a Raptors squad struggling to find its footing this year, being in the bottom 5 teams. Toronto has struggled to generate offence after losing Pascal Siakam last year, with Scottie Barnes shouldering the offensive load, but he’ll face a tough matchup against Kawhi Leonard, who tends to dominate in his return to Scotiabank Arena. Adding to the Raptors’ challenges, Jakob Poeltl remains out, giving Ivica Zubac and the Clippers a clear advantage in the paint. Paul George and James Harden provide the Clippers with the perimeter scoring Toronto simply can’t match, and with L.A. needing wins to solidify playoff positioning, expect them to take care of business and cover the spread.