After a torrid, injury-ridden 2021/22 campaign, the Toronto Raptors defied most oddsmakers’ predictions to climb to fifth in the Eastern Conference and third in the Atlantic Division with a .585 win percentage.
Far-flung from the .707 that led to an NBA Championship and the .736 to claim the division for the third season in a row, Nick Nurse has a very different project on his hands now.
Led by Pascal Siakam, rookie breakout Scottie Barnes, and Fred VanVleet, it’s all about building towards a Championship run again and less about targeting the trophy this season.
Here’s a look at where the Raptors stand in outright markets for the 2022/23 campaign:
Outright NBA odds for the Toronto Raptors
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To win the NBA Championship, +4000
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Nick Nurse to win Coach of the Year, +1600
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Scottie Barnes to win Most Improved Player, +2000
Another step forward after a quiet offseason
In just a couple of years, the Raptors have rapidly re-tooled to undergo another build, but this summer didn’t see much turnover. Toronto was easily among the quietest during the offseason, but this is still a strong unit.
A few of the bench players deeper in the depth chart were allowed to walk, Otto Porter Jr. joined as the most high-profile addition, and the team retained two of its oldest players: Thaddeus Young and Chris Boucher.
Importantly, this is a young Raptors side, with VanVleet and Siakam at 28 years of age, Boucher and Porter Jr. at 29, Khem Birch at 30, and Young at 34 comprising the older members of the locker room.
Of the 14 others listed on the roster at this time, 12 are 25-years-old or younger. This goes some way towards explaining the lack of offseason movement, with the hope being for more growth and development from the young team.
The Raps can give any team a run for its money, as their 48-34 overall record and identical 24-17 home and away records show. So, they’ll always be among competitive in the NBA live betting when the season gets underway.
Trust in Nick Nurse
While still ranked 15th overall in the odds at +4000 to win the NBA Championship, most expect the Raptors to make it to the playoffs, with the presence of head coach Nick Nurse being the primary reason.
He’s got a roster loaded with big players capable of bullying at both ends of the court, with as many as 11 of the players on the current roster measuring over 6’6’’ – five of which hit 6’8’’.
Nurse can utilize this and draw more from the young up-and-comers, perhaps mounting another run deeper into the postseason if they can develop further. It’s why, in the NBA odds, Nurse is at +1600 to win Coach of the Year.
It’d be fair to expect an improvement on the team’s 48-34 record, but asking to move above 5th in the conference would be a tall ask. It would be more realistic to expect a dip in the standings, given the state of the Brooklyn Nets coming into the season.
Barnes to highlight the build once again
Scottie Barnes was the story of the franchise as it mounted its unexpected run to the postseason, putting up an average of 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game through his rookie campaign.
As the winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year award, Barnes has set a very high bar for himself, but the small forward has some great players around him to facilitate another step forward.
Barnes almost certainly won’t advance enough to become a bona fide NBA superstar this season. Still, at +2000 to win the Most Improved Player Award, the oddsmakers are expecting him to make a big leap this year.
All eyes will be on Barnes after his super rookie season, with the hope for Raptors fans being that its still-young roster can make gains over the offseason and put up an even better record in 2022/23.
*Credit for all images in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 30th September 2022
