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Monday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read

Magic at Raptors (-4 ½, 212 ½) – 7:35 PM EST

The first opponent that Toronto eliminated in the playoffs on its way to its first championship in franchise history was Orlando last April. After the Magic shocked the Raptors in the series opener, Toronto grabbed the next four games to advance to the second round. In spite of Kawhi Leonard venturing west, the Raptors have won two of their first three games, including a 24-point blowout of the Bulls on Saturday night. Toronto rebounded off a loss at Boston on Friday as five Raptors finished with double-figures on Saturday, led by Pascal Siakam’s 19 points.

The Magic are fresh off a Southeast division title, but Orlando is coming off its first loss of the season in a 103-99 defeat at Atlanta as 2 ½-point road favorites on Saturday. Orlando has failed to bust the 100-point mark in two games, as the Magic converted only 5-of-31 three-point attempts against the Hawks, including the starting five shooting a dreadful 1-of-16 from long distance. In two games, Orlando has shot 14-of-61 from three-point range, as the Magic are listed in the underdog role for the first time this season after going 0-2 ATS as a favorite.

The Raptors captured six of nine meetings from the Magic last season, including a 3-2 SU/ATS record at home. Orlando has hit the UNDER in each of its first two games, while Toronto is coming off its first UNDER after hitting the OVER in the first two contests.

Jazz (-5, 217 ½) at Suns – 10:05 PM EST

Both these teams have started 2-1 on the young season, but Phoenix is the bigger surprise out of these two squads hooking up on Monday night. The Suns have won each of their first two games at Talking Stick Resort Arena against the Kings and Clippers, while shocking Los Angeles on Saturday night as a 10-point underdog, 130-122. Phoenix shot 50% from the floor, led by Devin Booker’s 30 points, while Kelly Oubre, Jr. chipped in 20 points for the Suns.

The Jazz picked up their first cover of the season on Saturday night in a wire-to-wire blowout of the Kings, 113-81 as 9 ½-point home favorites. Utah rebounded from a nine-point road loss to the Lakers the night before by jumping out to a 25-point halftime lead and never looking back. Bojan Bogdanovic paced the Jazz with 26 points, as Utah drilled 18 three-pointers after hitting a combined 14 treys in it first two games of the season.

Utah has cashed the UNDER in all three games this season, while limiting all three opponents to 95 points or less. Phoenix hit its first OVER in the win over Los Angeles, as the Suns are the only team to start 3-0 ATS. The Jazz have captured seven consecutive meetings with the Suns dating back to 2018 with every win in this span coming by double-digits.

Nuggets (-6, 218) at Kings – 10:05 PM EST

Sacramento was expected to be in the mix for a playoff spot in the Western Conference this season and even though the Kings have played three games, they haven’t looked a postseason squad. The Kings were outscored, 70-36 in the second half of a season opening rout at the hands of the Suns, 124-95. Sacramento hung with Portland in its home opener, but the Blazers outscored the Kings by 10 points in the third quarter of a 122-112 defeat.

Game 3 was a clunker for the Kings in a 113-81 setback at Utah with no rest on Saturday as De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield combined for 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting. The night before against Portland, Fox and Hield put up 49 points, as their production hinges on the success for Sacramento, who begins a three-game homestand that continues with Charlotte on Wednesday and Utah on Friday.

The Nuggets finished one victory shy of the Western Conference Finals last season, but picked up a modicum of revenge against the Blazers in the season opener. Denver pulled away from Portland, 108-100, highlighted by 18 three-pointers from the Nuggets, including three from big man Nikola Jokic, who scored a team-high 20 points. The Nuggets edged the Suns as a heavy favorite on Friday, 108-107 in overtime, as Jokic produced a triple-double in spite of Denver shooting 39% from the floor.

Denver swept Sacramento last season in the three-game regular season series, as two of those victories came by four points or less. All three matchups sailed OVER the total, while the Kings squandered double-digit leads in two of the three losses.

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.

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