Well everyone, it’s here.

The two best words in sports: Game seven.

For the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics, its one chance to book a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Watch the game LIVE across the TSN Network and TSN Direct at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT.

And Vegas has given the Celtics a slight edge.

Boston enters Friday night’s contest as a two-and-a-half point favourite to put an end to Toronto’s season.

It’s a position the Raptors should be comfortable in.

Toronto was the betting favourite for each of the first three games in the series – they went 1-2 straight up and 0-3 against the spread.

Vegas pivoted to the Celtics as the favourite for Games 4-6.

The Raptors responded by winning two of three to force a Game 7.

Toronto was in a similar situation last year when they knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Raptors enter tonight 3-2 all-time in Game 7s.

Meanwhile, Boston is 23-9 all-time in Game 7s – but just 3-2 since 2011.

Toronto already avoided falling behind 3-0 in the series thanks to a miraculous shot from OG Anunoby.

Then in Game 6, they avoided elimination with a gritty double-overtime win.

Do the Raptors have enough left in the tank to extend their season one more time?

 

The Total

The over / under for this Game 7 is currently 204.5.

That low number should come as no surprise.

Game 6 represented only the second time in this series that both teams have reached triple-digits in the same game.

Even then, the over was helped in that game by a double-overtime after the two teams were tied at 98 at the end of regulation.

The low total number isn’t solely based on the numbers in this series, either.

Recent history indicates that Game 7s tend to be lower scoring games overall.

In fact, the last seven Game 7’s – including Toronto’s 92-90 win over Philly in last year’s playoffs – have all gone under the number.

Even with the scoring numbers up in these bubble playoffs, both Game 7s in the opening round fell well short of the total.

In the first round, the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets were scoring like crazy.

Game 1 opened with a 135-125 win for Denver.

Both teams topped 120 points each once again in Game 4.

Through the first six games, there was only one instance when either team was held under 105 points – Game 3, when the Jazz held Denver to 87.

If there was ever a series in which the over for Game 7 looked likely, it appeared that would be it.

And yet, Denver beat Utah 80-78 in Game 7 – a full 60 points short of the number.

As a Milwaukee Bucks fan, I have no dog in this fight.

But I will tell Raptors and Celtics fans to expect a low-scoring game that should come down to the last few minutes of the fourth quarter.

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