Raptors vs. 76ers prediction: Back streaking Sixers over struggling Toronto

The Philadelphia 76ers are rolling. The Toronto Raptors? Not so much.

While Philadelphia carries a four-game SU and ATS winning streak into Monday night’s Raptors vs. 76ers matchup, visiting Toronto will enter Wells Fargo Center on a five-game losing skid both overall and against the number.

Additionally, the Sixers had the weekend off after Friday’s 118-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors. That brings Philadelphia to 4-0 SU and ATS on its season-long seven-game homestand and 10-1 SU/10-0-1 ATS in its last 11 at home.

Toronto, meanwhile, got blitzed 126-110 by those same Warriors on Sunday at home. So the reeling Raptors are in a back-to-back spot and had to travel yesterday.

So of course oddsmakers have the 76ers as a big favorite Monday.

Even though the line is a bit inflated — as it should be given the situation — we have no interest in going the contrarian route with our Raptors vs. 76ers prediction.

Odds updated as of 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 19.

It’s impossible to back the Raptors at the moment, even when getting some generous points.

Beyond its current five-game nosedive, Toronto is just 2-8 SU and ATS dating to Nov. 30. And the straight-up winner cashed in all 10 games (and, in fact, the last 13 in a row).

To be fair, the Raptors have had some competitive losses — for instance, 119-116 to Brooklyn and 124-123 to Sacramento, both last week. However, those two games were at home.

So was Sunday’s debacle against the Warriors, who shot 53.1% from the field — including going 18-for-39 from three-point range — without Steph Curry.

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Toronto has been playing without small forward O.G. Anunoby (hip injury) and shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. (quad). The duo ranks third and fourth, respectively, in scoring for the Raptors, averaging a combined 36 points per outing.

Anunoby is out indefinitely, while Trent is questionable for Monday.

The 76ers, meanwhile, continue to be without point guard Tyrese Maxey, who has missed 13 straight games with a foot injury. There is no timetable for Maxey’s return, but Philadelphia has gotten by just fine without him during the current homestand.

The 76ers kicked things off with a nine-point overtime win over the Lakers on Dec. 9, then posted blowout victories over Charlotte (131-113), Sacramento (123-103) and Golden State.

MVP candidate Joel Embiid has led the way, with five straight games of 30-plus points. Embiid, who is averaging an NBA-best 33.3 points per game, also had 31 points against Toronto in the season’s first meeting on Oct. 26 in Canada.

The Sixers lost that one, 119-109, as a 1-point road favorite. However, Trent and Anunoby totaled 42 points in the victory.

They added 33 more points during a rematch in Canada two days later, but Philadelphia opened up a 65-48 halftime lead and cruised to a 112-90 victory as a 3.5-point underdog.

Yes, Maxey went off in that victory, scoring a career-high 44 points on 15-for-20 shooting. However, Embiid spent all 48 minutes on the Sixers’ bench in street clothes.

Maxey and Embiid will reverse those roles Monday. And while 44 points might be out of reach for Embiid, we still fully expect him to have another monster game. Just as we expect Toronto to struggle without Anunoby and Trent (even if the latter returns).

Finally, not only is Philadelphia on a 10-1 SU/10-0-1 ATS run at home, but the Raptors have lost eight of their last nine road games, going 0-4 SU and ATS in the last four as a visitor.

What’s more, six of Toronto’s last eight road losses were by nine points or more.

So lay the inflated chalk with the 76ers, as Embiid and his rested teammates should have no trouble burying a depleted, tired foe.

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