Warriors vs Raptors NBA Pick: Can Toronto Pull Off the Upset? (Mar 20)

• The Warriors are 40-29 and have the second-best record in the Pacific Division.
• Toronto is 24-45 and has the third-best record in the Atlantic Division.
• These teams last played on Jan. 13, with the Raptors claiming a 104-101 victory.

One of the games on Thursday’s NBA slate features the Golden State Warriors hosting the Toronto Raptors. Will Golden State roll to an easy win in our Warriors vs Raptors pick?

Golden State Looks Like A Legitimate Playoff Contender

After seeing their seven-game win streak end with a 114-105 setback against the Denver Nuggets on Mar. 17, the Dubs bounced back with a 104-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

Jimmy Butler III, who seems to have rediscovered his love of the game since joining the team, finished with 24 points on 6-for-13 shooting. He also tallied 10 assists and eight rebounds and shot a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.

Brandin Podziemski logged 17 points and seven boards. Meanwhile, Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga chipped in with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

Golden State led by a 14-point margin at halftime before Milwaukee stormed back to cut the defict to two points entering the final frame.

As was the case in the second quarter, the Warriors outscored the Bucks 26-17 in the game’s final 12 minutes, improving to a 5-1 record in the second to last outing of their seven-game homestand.

Raptors Coming Off Blowout Loss Against Suns

Following a stretch in which they posted three straight wins for just the third time this season, the Raptors took a step back with a 129-89 shellacking at the hands of the Phoeix Suns on Monday night.

Scottie Barnes spearheaded an offense in which six players reached double figues, including four of the team’s starters. His final stat line included 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Immanuel Quickley finished with 15 points and both Orlando Robinson and A.J. Lawson scored 12 points each off the bench.

The turning point of this contest occurred in the second quarter. After the Raptors nabbed an early five-point lead, the Suns kicked off the second period with a 15-2 burst en route to outscoring Toronto by a 39-11 margin, making the rest of the game a mere formality.

The Raptors were outshot 51.1 percent to 35.6 percent; outscored 60-30 from 3-point range, and outrebounded 54-40.

Warriors vs Raptors Pick: Who Has The Edge In This East vs West Matchup?

The Warriors are 8-2 in their last 10 games, while the Raptors have gone 6-4 across their previous 10 outings. Toronto is ranked in the bottom third at both ends of the floor. Conversely, the Warriors are ranked 16th in offensive efficiency and own the seventh-lowest defensive rating in the league.

The Warriors’ recent surge has forward Draymond Green viewing this ball club as a title contender. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen. However, the Dubs should have enough talent to emerge victorious in this matchup.