PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's 20-Dime Totals Dominator
(NBA) Washington vs. Toronto,
Total: 191.00 | -105.00 Under
Result: Win
Total: 191.00 | -105.00 Under
Result: Win
You would think each of these teams could reach 96 points. I do.
The Wizards averaged 98.5 points per game entering the postseason. Only five teams finished the regular season with a higher shooting percentage from the field than Washington.
Toronto was the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA averaging 104 points.
Yet in Game 1 the Wizards and Raptors combined for just 164 points in regulation and 179 for the game. So now the oddsmaker has reduced this Game 2 total down around three points from the opening game over/under figure.
I don't believe the adjustment is justified. There aren't going to be first-game jitters like in Game 1. Toronto is going to be better prepared with two full days to prepare.
The Raptors are well-coached. They won't be blindsided by the Wizards' rotation moves that seemed to catch them off guard.
Most of all the shooting is going to pick up. Washington's offensive strength is its backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. They combined to shoot 11 of 41 (26.8 percent) from the floor. This was just an off-shooting game by both of them. Toronto ranked 26th in defensive field goal percentage - and that's playing in the much weaker Eastern Conference.
Toronto's top offensive players - DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Lou Williams - shot even worse. They were a combined 12 for 46 (26 percent) from the field. This is what Lowry said following the game, "... But that's Game 1, you learn from the mistakes and you get better."
These guys are all proven offensive stars. Washington and Toronto aren't great defensive teams. I understand playoff basketball is much different than regular season. Defense and half-court styles are emphasized more especially in the Eastern Conference. But this total still is too much of an overreaction to Game 1's low score. It's way too much of a fluke for Wall, Beal, DeRozan, Lowry and Williams to all shoot so poorly again.
.
The Wizards averaged 98.5 points per game entering the postseason. Only five teams finished the regular season with a higher shooting percentage from the field than Washington.
Toronto was the fourth-highest scoring team in the NBA averaging 104 points.
Yet in Game 1 the Wizards and Raptors combined for just 164 points in regulation and 179 for the game. So now the oddsmaker has reduced this Game 2 total down around three points from the opening game over/under figure.
I don't believe the adjustment is justified. There aren't going to be first-game jitters like in Game 1. Toronto is going to be better prepared with two full days to prepare.
The Raptors are well-coached. They won't be blindsided by the Wizards' rotation moves that seemed to catch them off guard.
Most of all the shooting is going to pick up. Washington's offensive strength is its backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. They combined to shoot 11 of 41 (26.8 percent) from the floor. This was just an off-shooting game by both of them. Toronto ranked 26th in defensive field goal percentage - and that's playing in the much weaker Eastern Conference.
Toronto's top offensive players - DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Lou Williams - shot even worse. They were a combined 12 for 46 (26 percent) from the field. This is what Lowry said following the game, "... But that's Game 1, you learn from the mistakes and you get better."
These guys are all proven offensive stars. Washington and Toronto aren't great defensive teams. I understand playoff basketball is much different than regular season. Defense and half-court styles are emphasized more especially in the Eastern Conference. But this total still is too much of an overreaction to Game 1's low score. It's way too much of a fluke for Wall, Beal, DeRozan, Lowry and Williams to all shoot so poorly again.
.
