VICTORIA B.C. — Vegas, once again, is downplaying the Raptors expectations heading into the season.
No fewer than seven teams in the Eastern Conference, according to betting line win totals for the year, have a higher total than the 45 ½ Vegas insiders peg Toronto’s expected performance at.
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The Boston Celtics, favourites to win the East, have a betting line total of 53.5, tops in the entire league.
In descending order in the East the next most wins belong to Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Miami, Cleveland, Atlanta and then Toronto.
There is a long history of Vegas undervaluing what the Raptors will bring to the table. The Raptors hit 48 wins a year ago to finish fifth in the conference and haven’t lost any player of significance since. The win total going into last season for the Raptors was 35.5.
Vegas, though, with this year’s line, is suggesting the rest of the East got substantially better with the additions they made.