Raptors vs. Celtics Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for December 5 (Raptors Falter Against Well-Rounded Celtics)

Raptors vs. Celtics Game Info

• Date: Monday, December 5, 2022
• Time: 7:30 PM ET
• Venue: Scotiabank Arena -- Toronto, Ontario
• Coverage: TSN and NBCS-BOS

The 2022-23 NBA season continues with eight games slated for Monday, Dec. 5, including a battle between Eastern Conference foes as the Toronto Raptors play host to the Boston Celtics. The Raptors have been tough to beat at Scotiabank Arena, winning three straight home games — including a 121-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

After having their five-game winning streak snapped, the Celtics got back on track with a 103-92 win against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown put on yet another show for the fans in attendance, combining for 63 points on 20-of-39 shooting with 21 rebounds.

Can the Raptors' hometown support help them achieve their fourth straight win at home? Or will the surging Celtics be too much for Toronto to handle?

Raptors vs. Celtics Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: BOS: (+100) | TOR: (-118)
• Spread: BOS: +1 (-108) | TOR: -1 (-112)
• Total: 227.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Raptors enter this contest as slight home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 7:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 227.5 points, which is third-highest of Monday's projected totals.

Raptors vs. Celtics Betting Trends

• The Celtics are 13-9-1 against the spread this season.
• So far this season, the Raptors have been installed as underdogs by a 1-point margin or more 10 times and are 4-5-1 ATS in those matchups.
• This season, 13 of the Celtics' games have gone over the point total out of 21 chances.
• The Raptors have hit the over 47.6% of the time this year (10 of 21 games with a set point total).
• Boston has a better record against the spread when playing at home (8-4-0) than it does on the road (5-5-1).
• Toronto's winning percentage against the spread at home is .667 (6-2-1). Away, it is .333 (4-7-1).

Raptors vs. Celtics Prediction & Pick

The Raptors might be playing solid basketball at home, but the Celtics' recent play cannot be understated. Boston is 15-2 straight up over its last 17 games, having won nine and five games in a row over that stretch.

Since their successful run began, the Celtics have led the NBA in points (122.8) and three-point percentage (41.3%) while sitting second in field-goal percentage (50.4%). Tatum has played a huge role in that stretch, averaging 31.0 points and 8.2 rebounds over his last 16 outings.

There's a reason why the Celtics rank No. 2 in the league with a plus-8.2 scoring margin. They're elite on both sides of the ball and while the Raptors can hang with tough competition, they've also dropped six of their last eight games against Boston.

Riding a massive wave of momentum, look for the Celtics to look strong on the road.

Final Score Prediction: Celtics: 117 | Raptors: 112

Raptors vs. Celtics Best Bet

It's hard to imagine the Celtics losing tonight. After all, they're an impressive 8-3 straight up on the road and have won eight of their last nine trips north of the border. On top of that, Boston also covered the spread in every single one of those games, winning seven times by double-digit margins.

Having said that, a 1-point spread brings a pick 'em situation and there isn't a lot of value there. Instead, back the Celtics on the moneyline.

Bet: Celtics ML (+100)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.