For the first time in 19 years, the Portland Trail Blazers are going to the Western Conference Finals, thanks in large part to the team’s grit and the talent of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. They will face the reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors (without Durant) in the next round, the same team that swept them in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. What’s the outcome going to be in Game 1 this coming Tuesday? Going into the game, the sportsbook favors the Warriors by 8-points.
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Betting Preview for Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors NBA Playoffs Western Conference Final Game 1 on May 14, 2019
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland
When: Tuesday, May 14, 2019, 6:00 PM ET
Line: Portland Trail Blazers (+8) vs. Golden State Warriors (–8) – view all NBA lines
Series: Series tied, 0-0.
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (53-29 Regular Season)
Somehow, the Trail Blazers are going to the Western Conference Finals. And it’s because of no small part by C.J. McCollum, who carried the Blazers on his back in Game 7’s road win over the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. With Damian Lillard having a salty shooting night, McCollum stepped up and poured in 37 points on 17-for-29 shooting from the field, including some huge buckets in the clutch. Lillard only had 13 points on a forgettable 3-for-17 shooting. While the Blazers survived Denver despite that kind of game by Lillard, that’s likely not going to be the case if he shoots that poorly again against the Warriors. Lillard needs to recover his touch, as he tries to help Portland set the tone to their favor in the series against the two-time defending NBA champions. Lillard is averaging 28.4 points per game in the playoffs — almost identical to his 28.3 points average in four games against the Warriors in the regular season. Another one who needs to elevate his game for Portland is Evan Turner, who will be forced to play more should Rodney Hood need more time to recover from what appears to be a knee injury he picked up in Game 7 against Denver.
The Blazers may be undermanned and inferior to Golden State, but so long as Lillard and McCollum are clicking, they are going to be a hard team to kill – even for a team like the Warriors.
The Blazers are 2-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last three road games.
Betting on the Golden State Warriors (57-25 Regular Season)
Don’t fully buy the idea that the Warriors had to battle through crazy adversity in the second round series against the Houston Rockets. While they did had to fight challenges like losing Kevin Durant to an injury, the Warriors still are left with two-time MVP Steph Curry, All-Star Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The Warriors are going to need more injuries before we start saying they’re in a shaky position against Portland. Curry added to his legend in the Warriors’ 118-113 Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets by scoring all his 33 points in the second half. Thompson kept the Warriors’ heads above water when Curry was shooting blanks in the first half, as he finished with 27 points on 10-for-20 from the field. Curry and Thompson can get hot anytime and could go on insane shooting spree, enough to negate – if not better – the production of Portland’s dynamic backcourt tandem. In the regular season, Curry put up 28.7 points in the regular season against Portland, while Thompson churned out an average of 21.8. With Durant not ready to go in Game 1 of the conference finals, expect the Warriors to feature Andre Iguodala in the starting lineup again. Iggy had 17 points and five steals in 38 minutes of great two-way play in Game 7 against the Rockets.
The over is 4-1 in the Warriors’ last five games.
Writer’s Prediction
Golden State wins, 117-111.
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