Two tanking teams face off on New Year’s Day in Toronto, as the Brooklyn Nets take on the Toronto Raptors. 

Brooklyn has already started a trade deadline fire sale, moving Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith in an attempt to acquire more assets and potentially lose some more games in the 2024-25 season.

Toronto, on the other hand, has been killed by the injury bug with RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl and Bruce Brown all missing time this season. Last night, the Raptors lost by 54 (!) to the Boston Celtics in Boston as double-digit underdogs. It was a pretty awful showing, even with multiple key players out of the lineup. 

So far this season, the Raptors are 4-2 against the spread on the second night of a back-to-back – one of the better marks in the NBA.

Can they pick up another ATS win against a Nets team that is heading towards the basement in the East?

Here’s a breakdown of the latest odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for this Eastern Conference showdown. 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Moneyline

Total

Nets Injury Report

Raptors Injury Report

Brooklyn Nets Best NBA Prop Bet

So far this season, Toronto is actually ninth in the league in rebounding percentage, making this a tougher matchup than you’d expect for Nic Claxton on the glass.

Claxton is averaging just 7.4 rebounds per game this season, failing to clear 8.5 boards in 17 of his 26 games. He was held to just five rebounds the last time these teams faced off. 

Toronto Raptors Best NBA Prop Bet

This is a solid number for Scottie Barnes, who grabbed 13 rebounds in the blowout loss to Boston on Tuesday and is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game in the 2024-25 season.

Brooklyn ranks just 27th in the NBA in rebounding percentage, and Barnes has at least eight boards in 11 of his 20 matchups this season. 

After watching Toronto score just 71 points on Tuesday night, I’m taking the UNDER in this matchup.

Brooklyn has already traded off two major rotation pieces in Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith as it attempts to tank this season, and the Raptors didn’t have RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley active due to injury on Tuesday. 

If both of those players sit again tonight, it’s going to be tough sledding for this Toronto offense – outside of Scottie Barnes. 

The Nets, meanwhile, have played six straight games that have fallen short of 220 points, including three that have failed to break 200 combined points. 

Even with D’Angelo Russell now in the fold, I’m not sold on Brooklyn’s offense (19th in offensive rating) turning things around.  

Pick: UNDER 220.5 (-110)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.