Posted on 4/16/2008 3:28:15 PM

NBA Furious Free Picks 2008 – Toronto Still Soul Searching In Chi-Town

By Tim Furious

Toronto Raptors (41-40) vs. Chicago Bulls (32-49)

Wednesday, April 16th --- United Center, Chicago --- 8:30pm EST

NBA Betting Line: Chicago -6 (211.5)

The Raptors are headed to the playoffs and Chicago is destined for the lottery. Not many in the basketball betting community would have called that one. Yet Chicago is the favorite by -6? What? Toronto may be 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games on the road, and 1-9 SU in their last 10 games, but if there’s any team that they can turn it around on, it’s Chicago. And here’s why:

The loss to Detroit on Sunday was a wake-up call for Toronto. They had destroyed Milwaukee and New Jersey by a combine total of +46 points only to hit a stone wall in Detroit, which handled Toronto with its backups. They responded with a 16-point throttling of the hapless Miami Heat and are now going up against a team that they last defeated 93-78 back in November. Finally, Toronto is also 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing Chicago. You getting excited yet for Toronto?

The one defense for Chicago is that they knock down 5.8 treys per game. And you have Toronto, which allows the most three-pointers against per game. If Toronto can shoot the lights out, then Toronto is in trouble. But that’s a big “if”. Chicago only hits 43.5 percent from the field, and it’s not like Toronto can’t match those outside shots. They hit 7.0 treys of their own.

The Raptors fell from grace, hit every branch on the ugly tree on the way down, and then fell in to a pit of jagged rocks. It felt like Isiah was back in town. But the alarm went off against Detroit, and Toronto can be expected to reward their betting faithful as road dogs tonight in Chicago.

NBA Betting Free Pick: Toronto +6 (OVER)

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