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Raptors vs. Nets Picks, Predictions: Brooklyn to Keep Up Strong Play

Kenny Ducey

Last Updated: January 1, 0001 12:00 AM EST • 2 min 58 sec read.

Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets dunks on the net during the first half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 23, 2022 in Toronto, Canada.
Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets dunks on the net during the first half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 23, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images via AFP.

The Brooklyn Nets should run it back with a second win over the Toronto Raptors in as many weeks. Read on for our top Raptors-Nets NBA picks.

The Nets are starting to heat up with a winning record at long last, and their lengthy homestand will continue on Friday night when they welcome the Raptors to Brooklyn.

Toronto is also narrowly above .500 and has gotten there with two wins in its last three games. However, the Raptors are in danger of slipping backward against a team that recently beat them rather comfortably.

Here are our Raptors-Nets NBA picks for Friday (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and PointsBet; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our NBA Final futures odds and picks.

Raptors vs. Nets Game Info

Date: Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBA League Pass
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Raptors vs. Nets Odds

Raptors vs. Nets Odds Analysis

Brooklyn was initially a 2.5-point favorite when the betting for this game opened, but some money has come in on the Raptors and nearly pushed this to a pick'em. PointsBet has the best deal on the home team; you can pay -107 to lay the 1.5 points or -120 to back Brooklyn on the moneyline. On the other side of things, Toronto is as high as +108 on the moneyline via FanDuel.

DraftKings is reporting that 73% of the spread tickets but just 42% of the handle is on the Nets. There’s a similarly lopsided split on the total, where 66% of the tickets and 83% of the money is on the Over. The best deal on both the Over and Under is once again at PointsBet, which will offer you a price of -107 to back either side of the 223.5.

Raptors vs. Nets Picks

  • Spread: Nets -1.5 (-107 via PointsBet)
  • Over/Under: Over 223.5 (-107 via PointsBet)
  • Prop: Nic Claxton Over 23.5 points, rebounds, and assists (-110 via DraftKings)

Raptors vs. Nets ATS Pick

Nets -1.5 (-107) ★★★★★

The Nets have won six of eight games heading into play on Friday and covered the spread in four of those contests. One of the games in that run came against these same Raptors, where Brooklyn blew out Toronto with a 14-point win on the road as a slim 2.5-point favorite.

Nets guard Ben Simmons was a factor in that game with 14 points and six assists, but he won’t be playing Friday. I still like the Nets to run it back, though. They were able to keep up with 46 points in the paint to the Raptors’ 48, victimizing one of the league’s worst defenses around the rim (we’ll get to that more in a bit)

Just know that Toronto is in the bottom 10 when it comes to defending inside of six feet and is ranked 27th in 2-point defense, allowing almost 58% of looks to fall from inside the arc. Going back years now, the Nets have been one of the 2-point-happiest teams in the league with a ton of shots from midrange and in the paint. This is a bad matchup for the Raptors.

Raptors vs. Nets O/U Pick

Over 223.5 (-107) ★★★★

The total in the previous meeting between these two teams was 222.5 points, and the game finished up with 220 points. I’m a fan of following the money here and also taking the Over considering it’s a point higher than it was in the last meeting. That tells you a lot.

These two teams rank 24th and 25th in pace, but each of them is coming off a game where their pace hit 100 or higher. When you also consider that the Raptors’ defense should be in a tough spot against a Nets team that can really hurt you inside, I think we will see a pretty strong night for both offenses.

Raptors vs. Nets Prop Pick

Claxton Over 23.5 points, rebounds, and assists (-110) ★★★★

The Raptors own the eighth-worst field goal percentage inside of six feet as we alluded to before, allowing opponents to convert on 65.8% of guarded looks in that area. And, while Toronto ranks eighth-best in rebounding rate it is coming off a poor showing last game against the New Orleans Pelicans, and in the past two games have struggled to get a real edge there.

Nic Claxton just went for 14 points and 12 rebounds against the Raptors last week and I think he can keep that momentum heading in the right direction Friday. It was one of three double-doubles he’s recorded in the last five games.

Where to Bet on Raptors vs. Nets Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

Raptors-Nets picks made 12/2/2022 at 12:58 p.m. ET

Written By:
Kenny Ducey
Kenny is a contributor for DraftKings and a former member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He's covered Tennis, Football, Basketball, and Baseball dating back to his time at Sports Illustrated. He's based out of New York, where sports have taken a turn for the worst, yet somehow his support for the Jets and Knicks has not wavered in the slightest.