Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors: Game 2 Odds, NBA Betting Pick

The fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers will look to go up 2-0 on the top-seeded Toronto Raptors with another upset victory on Thursday as road underdogs at the sportsbooks for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference second-round playoff series.

The Cavaliers rallied for a 113-112 overtime win against the Raptors in Game 1 on Tuesday, despite LeBron James struggling with his shooting down the stretch.

NBA point spread: The Raptors opened as six-point favorites; the total is at 212.5, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark (line updates and matchup report).

NBA betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 111.2-105.7, Raptors (NBA picks on every game).

Check out the OddsShark podcast on iTunes or at OddsShark.libsyn.com for more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news.

Why the Cavaliers can cover the spread

James made only 12 of 30 shots from the field, going 1-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc, but his teammates bailed him out this time en route to the win, unlike the last series. The starting backcourt of J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver combined for 39 points, while reserves Tristan Thompson and Jeff Green totaled 30 between them.

Regardless of the poor shooting, James still managed to put together a triple-double of 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds as Cleveland overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Why the Raptors can cover the spread

Toronto did not give up the lead until overtime, which was obviously a bad time to do it. However, the Raptors had several opportunities to win the series opener but made just five of 24 shots in the fourth quarter, as the Cavs outscored them by a 23-18 margin.

One more made shot from the field or free-throw line would have been enough for them to earn a victory, and they got to the charity stripe 10 more times and scored 10 more points from there. In other words, Toronto needs to play like Game 1 and finish better.

Smart betting pick

Whether they like it or not, the Raptors have a huge mental disadvantage vs. the Cavaliers, and it showed up again in Game 1. Including the last two postseasons, Toronto is just 2-12 straight up and 3-10-1 against the spread in the past 14 meetings with Cleveland, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.

The Cavaliers were able to steal a win with James shooting only 40 percent from the field, and he is more than capable of exploding for 40 points or more in Game 2. Take Cleveland to cover.

NBA betting trends

Cleveland is 2-7 ATS in its last nine games.

Cleveland is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games on the road.

Toronto is 7-13-1 ATS in its last 21 games.

All NBA odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report’s official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app.