The Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers will face off for the second time in three days, with the former winning the most recent meeting. Will the Nuggets give Portland’s blemish one last smudge in the regular season? Or will the Blazers avenge their earlier loss to Nikola Jokic and company? Read below to find out, and be sure to check out the latest NBA futures of all teams in contention to win the NBA title here.
The Nuggets won their latest showdown with Portland on Friday, eking out a 119-110 road win to make a two-game winning streak. Denver’s big men had a field day carving out Portland’s slim frontline, as Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap teamed up inside and make a killing there. Jokic had a near triple-double of 22 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, while Millsap had 25 points and seven boards. The Blazers are missing Jusuf Nurkic, leaving a defensive liability in Enes Kanter to man the painted area. Kanter and the Blazers’ frontline are looking like free lunch for Jokic and Millsap, who are averaging 25.7 and 19.3 points in three meetings with the Blazers this season. In those games, Denver also shot 50.0 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from deep.
The under is 8-2 in the last 10 outings for Denver, which is averaging 110.9 points per game this season.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (50-29)
What could have been for the Blazers if CJ McCollum was available to play in Friday’s date with the Nuggets? McCollum sat out thar contest due to a knee issue, but there is hope that he’ll me on the court for Sunday’s meeting with Denver, as he’s currently labelled as probable. If he can’t go, though, that would mean more pressure on Damian Lillard to deliver. Lillard, however, had a salty game against Denver, going just 3-for-14 from the field and finished with just 14 points. Rodney Hood, meanwhile, started and had 17 points on a much more efficient 8-for-12 shooting from the floor. For all his ineffectiveness on defense, Kanter finished with a team-high 24 points with seven rebounds and four assists. Kanter gives the Blazers a capable scoring option in the middle and a consistent threat to put Jokic or Millsap in foul trouble. Kanter has stepped it up since Portland lost Nurkic for the rest of the season, as he’s averaged 19.8 points in the last five games — second best among all Blazers during that stretch.
Portland is 8-2 straight up (SU) in its last 10 home games.
