The Raptors (-4.5) Have Won Five Straight Road Games

Welcome new readers, how about that Super Bowl! Cooper Kupp’s receptions prop line was 8.5…he had 8 receptions but still won Super Bowl MVP 👀 — let’s talk Raptors vs. Pelicans 👇

Raptors @ Pelicans Preview

The Raptors are having one of the best starts in February by any team, losing just one game so far this month. They’ll travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans, who are looking to make a playoff push in the Western Conference 👇

Raptors @ Pelicans Betting Preview (subject to change)

• Spread: Raptors -4.5

• Moneyline: Raptors -190 (bet $190, win $100), Pelicans +160 (bet $100, win $160)

• Over/Under: 221.5

These two teams matched up in January, with the Raptors securing a 105-101 win in Toronto. However, things are different now in NOLA, as CJ McCollum has arrived to steer the ship

We’re giving away a free OT Classic Hoodie to one lucky subscriber! Reply to this email for a chance to win 💧

Exceeding Expectations

Before the season began, Vegas oddsmakers believed the Raptors would be a below .500 team for the second straight year. Some even called this a “rebuilding year” for Toronto

Preseason Predictions

• Projected win total: 36.5 games

• Odds to make the playoffs: +250

At 31-24, the Raptors have almost matched their projected preseason win total before the All-Star break. They’ve won eight of their last nine games and are currently the No. 7 seed in the East. Toronto has a better record than the Nets, Hornets and Hawks 😳

• Part of the reason Toronto went from a rebuilding year to a playoff contender is Gary Trent Jr.

• After being traded by the Blazers in March 2021, the Raptors signed Trent Jr. to a three-year, $54M deal in the offseason

• Just this week, he became the 10th player in NBA history with 40+ points, 5+ steals, and 5+ threes in a game

Besides Trent Jr. and their 2021-22 All-Star Fred VanVleet, the Raptors have been led by All-Star SNUB Pascal Siakam

• Siakam is averaging 22.1 PPG on 50.0% shooting, including career-highs in RPG, APG, SPG, FGM and MPG

• After seeing these numbers, you know why Raptors President Masai Ujiri was so direct when stating “[Siakam] is an All-Star”

With the Raptors clicking on all cylinders and having won five straight games on the road, I’m picking them to cover spread tonight 🦖

Trivia question: Where did Siakam play in college? (answer below)

New-look Pelicans

In a trade with the Blazers, the Pelicans have created their own Big Three with CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson. Well, more of a Big Two, since we haven’t seen Zion play in a game since May 4th, 2021

• Zion has been rehabbing in Oregon with a former LSU strength coach, undergoing intense training aimed at giving him a chance to return this season. However, we still have no timetable

New Orleans has won four of their last six games, as they sit just a half game back of the Play-In Tournament. Ironically, the last time the Pelicans made the playoffs was 2017-18, when they swept McCollum’s Blazers in the first round. Now, McCollum will try to help the Pelicans return to the postseason

• In just his second game with NOLA, McCollum dropped 36 points on 15/24 FG and grabbed 11 rebounds

• The Pelicans are getting one of the top marksmen in the NBA, as McCollum has hit at least 165 3-pointers in all of the past six seasons

• He has shot at least 37.5% from deep in every season of his career, with three seasons over 40%

Although CJ gives the Pelicans a reliable backcourt option, I believe the Raptors’ 109.8 defensive rating (13th in the NBA) will be too much in tonight’s matchup 🤺

For My Parlay Gurus

McCollum, who is 0-2 with the Pelicans, will have to wait to get his first W, because I like the Raptors in this matchup. In six games since being snubbed as an All-Star, Siakam is averaging 29.0 PPG — he’s just too much for NOLA to handle! To finish my parlay, I’m taking the Warriors on the road against the Clippers 👇

• Raptors -4.5 vs. the Pelicans: -110

• Warriors -6 vs. the Clippers: -110

$100 on this bet would win you $264 – if we hit, make sure you email justin.schnell@itsovertime.com for $100*. First come, first serve 😉

Trivia answer: Siakam played two seasons at New Mexico State, and averaged over 20 PPG his sophomore season