The Toronto Raptors (23-15) and Boston Celtics (23-13) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The game will be broadcast live on NBCS-BOS.
The Celtics are 9-point favorites over the Raptors on the spread (Celtics -9), with the over/under set at 223 total points. Boston is a -350 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Toronto is +275 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Raptors vs. Celtics predictions and NBA picks for Friday, January 9.
Raptors vs Celtics Prediction
- Raptors vs Celtics pick: Under 223 (-110)
My Celtics vs Raptors best bet is on the under total points, with the best price currently available at bet365. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Raptors vs Celtics Odds
| Raptors Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9 -110 | 223 -110o / -110u | +275 |
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9 -110 | 223 -110o / -110u | -350 |
Raptors vs Celtics NBA Preview
Friday’s matchup between the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics has major implications near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Boston currently sits third, with Toronto right behind in fourth, and the Raptors closed the gap to one game after Wednesday’s results. Toronto edged Charlotte 97-96, while Boston saw its four-game winning streak snapped with a 114-110 home loss to Denver.
Toronto enters this game playing some of its best basketball of the season, having won five of its last six games and riding a three-game winning streak. Defense has been the driving force during this stretch, highlighted by the grind-it-out win over Charlotte.
RJ Barrett carried the offense in that one with 28 points and seven rebounds, including 16 in the fourth quarter, after Brandon Ingram was limited to just 11 minutes due to a thumb injury.
Ingram’s x-rays were negative, but his status remains uncertain, and Jakob Poeltl is already ruled out, which could further shape Toronto’s offensive approach.
Boston, despite the loss to Denver, has also been in strong form, winning eight of its last 10 games.
One bright spot from Wednesday was the performance of center Neemias Queta, who grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds and helped the Celtics generate 27 second-chance points.
However, Boston is still missing Jayson Tatum, a significant absence that removes one of the league’s most reliable scorers from the lineup.
Raptors vs Celtics Prediction, Betting Analysis
With Jayson Tatum still out and Toronto potentially shorthanded offensively, this matchup sets up as a physical, half-court-oriented battle between two familiar division rivals.
This game fits perfectly into Evan Abrams’ Reverse Line Movement Unders system. In division games like this one, where teams know each other well, scoring often tightens up.
The key angle is that the total has dropped despite the public leaning toward the Over, with 40% or fewer of bets backing the Under. That reverse line movement is a strong indicator of sharp money coming in on the Under, signaling value.
Given the importance of the game in the Eastern Conference race, the recent defensive form of Toronto and the natural familiarity that comes with a division matchup, this profiles as a slower-paced, more deliberate contest.
Pick: Under 223 (-110)
