With a 2-1 record so far in the preseason, the Boston Celtics have proven that the transition from suspended head coach Ime Udoka to interim head coach Joe Mazzulla could be a far smoother one than many imagined it being after Udoka was banished for the 2022-23 season — and possibly for the rest of his life — for a personal conduct violation.
Mazzulla’s Cs would likely be perfect in the preseason had the starters not been pulled in the team’s second exhibition matchup against their opponent tonight, the Toronto Raptors. When the two teams played on October 5, Toronto mounted an 18-point comeback in the fourth quarter to push the game to overtime and knock off starters who didn’t expect to be back in the game.
Not that these games matter beyond bettors who are so insatiable for action that they’ll bet on games with random rotations and varying degrees of attention being put in by the players, but it’s important to note that the Boston Celtics would very likely be undefeated in the Mazzulla era if these games counted.
Ahead of the C’s final tune-up in Toronto before a make-or-break season for a core that knocked on the door of Banner 18 less than half a year ago, Hardwood Houdini has your odds and a prediction for the NBA TV and NBC Sports Boston-televised preseason finale between the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors (all odds provided by FOX Bet):
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors odds, spread, over/under
The Celtics are 1.5-point favorites against the Raptors. Toronto is a -105 underdog while Boston’s ML is set at -120. The over/under for the game has been placed at 222.5 points.
Celtics vs. Raptors prediction
Not knowing who is going to play just yet, one has to imagine that regardless of the personnel, these two teams will be relying on their defensive identities in order to best prepare for the regular season. Thus, these teams will be going through somewhat of a dress rehearsal.
Had it not been for a fourth-quarter meltdown from Boston Celtics reserves — many of whom are no longer on the team — the under would have been an easy hit last game. The Houdini once again backs the under as the Cs head north of the border on October 14.
Pick: 222.5u
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.