Given the recent changes in lineups of both sides you have to be impressed with what both of these teams are achieving. This one looks set to be a cracker with both teams probably thinking that this game is theirs to win, and rightly so. The home team is 6-0 ATS in the last 6 meetings, with the Celtics 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings with the favorite also being 9-3-1 ATS in the last 13 also. The Raps have been putting up some pretty good numbers offensively this year, but the under is 4-1 in the last 5 between these 2 teams.

The Celtics season looked to be over when Rajon Rondo was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear. The Celtics were up by nearly 30 against Atlanta and somehow managed lose by 12 in the last game Rondo played in, and surprisingly, they have won 4 straight with Rondo missing. How anomalies like this occur I do not know because anyone in their right mind would say that any side would be better with Rondo in it, but such is the NBA. It’s where amazing happens. The C’s are 4-0 ATS in their last 4, but are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 played on 2 days rest and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.

The Raptors have also had a significant change in their lineup, however theirs is due to trades and not injuries. The Rudy Gay trade was highly talked about as to whether it was the right move for Toronto, and given the way this team is playing with Gay in the side the answer is an emphatic ‘yes’. This squad started as 4 point dogs over the Clippers and absolutely dominated them, but as much as that result is an achievement for this squad, you would be foolish to back the Raptors tonight based solely on the fact that they destroyed the Clipps. The Raps are currently 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Wednesday games, 9-2 ATS in their last 11 home games against sides with road records of below .400 and 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 coming off the back of a loss of more than 10 points.

As great as the Celtics have been playing without Rondo I think the books are still setting lines for the Raptors as if they never traded for Gay, or at least setting lines for the Raptors anticipating that it will take a while for this side to gel with Gay’s inclusion. From what I’ve seen so far Gay has settled right in to this lineup. He shot the ball 23 times in 42 minutes (for 29 points) in the Raptors’ loss to the Heat on Sunday night so make no mistake about it, this team is more than comfortable with him in the side. I think the Raptors will end this 3 game home stand with a win over the C’s and they cover the number.

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