Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction 1/9/2026 Today’s NBA Picks

The Toronto Raptors pay a visit to the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden on Friday night. Here’s a Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction. This article will include a Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Pick.

Toronto Raptors Betting Preview 

The Toronto Raptors have been in pretty good form lately as they’ve won five of their last six games overall and they will be aiming for a fourth straight victory after outlasting the Hornets in a 97-96 road win on Wednesday. RJ Barrett led the team with 28 points on 12 of 25 shooting, Immanuel Quickley added 21 points on eight of 18 shooting while Scottie Barnes chipped in with 17 points.

As a team, the Raptors shot just 41 percent from the field and seven of 34 from the 3-point line as they got off to a slow start. They scored just 45 points in the first half to trail by 10 points in the fourth quarter. But that’s where they came to life with a pivotal 18-5 run to climb back into the game and escape with the narrow win thanks to Quickley who drained the game winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Boston Celtics Betting Preview 

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics have been in great shape as they’ve won eight of their last 10 games overall. They will be hoping to bounce back here after having their four-game win streak snapped by the Nuggets in a 114-110 loss on Wednesday. Jaylen Brown led the team with 33 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard each scored 17 points while Anfernee Simons chipped in with 15 points off the bench.

As a team, the Celtics shot 45 percent from the field and 15 of 38 from the 3-point line as they hit the ground running with 35 points in the first quarter, but they allowed the shorthanded Nuggets to hang around. It cost them in the fourth quarter where the Celtics leaked 35 points to lose by single digits in the end. 

Why the Boston Celtics will win

• The Raptors have lost each of their last nine games at TD Garden following a road win.
• The Celtics have won each of their last seven home games against the Raptors.
• The Celtics have covered the spread in each of their last six night games against Raptors teams that held a winning record.
• The Raptors have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games at TD Garden following a win.

Why the Toronto Raptors will win

• The Raptors have won each of their last three games as underdogs against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The Celtics have lost two of their last three games as home favorites against Atlantic Division opponents following a loss.
• The underdogs have covered the spread in eight of the Raptors’ last 10 games.
• The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in 12 of their last 16 night games against Atlantic Division opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Eight of the Raptors’ last nine road games have gone UNDER the total points line.
• Four of the last five games between the Raptors and Celtics have gone UNDER the total points line.

Boston Celtics Player Facts

• Derrick White is one of only two qualified players in the league averaging at least 1.5 threes and 1.5 blocks this season.
• Jaylen Brown is one of only four players in the league to have scored 30+ points in five straight games this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Celtics rank 1st in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (15.9).
• The Celtics rank 30th in the league for free throws made per game this season (15.3).
• The Raptors rank 1st for fast break points per game (19.4) this season.
• The Raptors rank 2nd in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (34.2%).

Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction

The Raptors have ruled out Jakob Poeltl again with Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram both listed as questionable, while the Celtics are still missing Jayson Tatum. The Raptors are coming into this contest with plenty of momentum but there is some uncertainty in their line as they are still sweating on the availability of Barnes and Ingram. The Celtics were arguably the hottest team in the league as they had won eight of nine overall before they lost to the severely depleted Nuggets in their last outing. The Raptors could make a run of this if they have all their players available, but the Celtics are still the hotter team and I think they bounce back from their last loss with a comfortable home win here.

Peter Tran's Pick: Boston -8.5