Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Prediction, Starting Lineups and Betting Tips | March 9, 2024

The Toronto Raptors will face the Portland Trail Blazers for the second time this season on Saturday. Toronto, which lost 99-91 back in October, will be hoping to avoid a sweep. The Raptors will be without Scottie Barnes, Bruce Brown and Jakob Poeltl but they will be taking on the also injury-riddled Blazers.

Portland will not have Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Jabari Walker and Malcolm Brogdon. The Blazers’ only two wins since Feb. 2 were versus the Memphis Grizzlies who have missed four of their best players. Anfernee Simons, Kris Murray and Dalano Banton will hold the fort for the Blazers amid the injuries.

The Raptors will be counting on Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Gary Trent Jr. to lead the offense without Barnes. Kelly Olynyk and Chris Boucher will also have to step up to help with the rebounding and defense in Poeltl’s absence. Toronto will like its chance of snapping a two-game losing streak against another injury-hampered team.

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Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Preview, prediction and betting tips

The Blazers will host the Raptors at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon starting at 10:00 p.m. ET. ROOT SPORTS/ROOT SPORTS PLUS and TSN are the local networks that will cover the game. Streaming is also available by subscribing to the NBA League Pass.

Basketball fans can listen to SiriusXM, Rip City Radio 620 and Sportsnet 590 to catch the action.

Moneyline: Raptors (-120) vs. Blazers (+100)

Spread: Raptors (-1.5) vs. Blazers (+1.5)

Total (O/U): Raptors (o225.0 -110) vs. Blazers (u225.0 -110)

Editor’s Note: The odds could change closer to the game. The odds were listed as per available information at the time of the writing.

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Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Game preview

With injuries to key players, the Toronto Raptors are rarely favored to win games. They will have that distinction on Saturday against the even more wounded Portland Trail Blazers. The Raptors must not overlook their opponents and continue playing through Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett.

Toronto’s offense has unsurprisingly stuttered without Barnes but its defense has to hold up. Portland has aggressive and athletic players left who can pounce on their potential defensive lapses.

The Blazers have nothing to lose. Anfernee Simons can carry them as much as he wants but they are just so undermanned that a heroic effort from him might not matter. Still, building the right habits for the seldom-used players will be good for the team.

A player to monitor is Dalano Banton who previously played for the Raptors. With injuries mounting in Portland, he is showing some of the potential that had Toronto enamored for years. He could have a big game against his former team and show them what they let go.

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Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Starting lineups

PF - Kelly Olynyk, SG - Gary Trent Jr., SF - RJ Barrett, SG - Immanuel Quickley and G - Ochai Agbaji will start for the Toronto Raptors.

The Portland Trail Blazers will have PF - Toumane Camara, SF - Kris Murray, C - Duop Reath, SG - Anfernee Simons and G - Dalano Banton will open the game.

Editor’s Note: These are predicted starting lineups, which could change depending on the availability of players uncertain to play.

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Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Betting tips

Immanuel Quickley gets a 20.5 over/under points prop. The Toronto Raptors guard has averaged 18.0 PPG this month. Quickley’s job isn’t primarily to score but with Scottie Barnes out, he will have to be aggressive in putting up buckets. Against Portland’s depleted roster, he could get over his points prop on Saturday.

RJ Barrett has a 22.5 over/under points prop. Like Quickley, the former New York Knicks star will have to hunt for his points to offset Barnes’ absence. The Blazers’ undermanned roster could help him get over his points prop as well.

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Toronto Raptors vs Portland Trail Blazers: Prediction

The Toronto Raptors have a deeper and better lineup on paper against the Portland Trail Blazers. Toronto has also shown more fight after the trade deadline than in the previous months. Injuries to key players have not stopped that trend. They are likely to beat the depleted Portland Trail Blazers in the rematch.