Damian Lillard wasn’t able to go Dame Time in Game 2, but the Portland Trail Blazers got the win nonetheless to tie the series up, 1-1. Now, the Blazers will take their turn in hosting the series, as they and the Denver Nuggets play Game 3 at Moda Center, where Lillard buried the Oklahoma City Thunder with his memorable shot in his the Blazers last game there. Going into the game, the sportsbook favors the home team by 4-points. See the latest odds for all remaining NBA teams to win the title here.
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Betting Preview for Denver Nuggets vs Portland Trail Blazers NBA Playoff Round 2 Game 3 on May 3, 2019
Where: Moda Center in Portland Oregon
When: Friday, May 3, 2019, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Denver Nuggets (+4) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (-4) – view all NBA lines
Series: Tied 1-1
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Denver Nuggets (54-28 Regular Season)
Nikola Jokic didn’t have a good start in Game 2, and it turned out to be, without much surprise, a heavy anchor that weighted Denver down, as the Nuggets lost at home, 97-90. Jokic finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, but took just one shot in the first period and scored only six points in the first two quarters, allowing Portland to set the tone for the contest. Jokic, however, is too good of a player to be slowed down for the rest of the series by Portland’s frontline that doesn’t have Jusuf Nurkic. So far in the playoffs, Jokic is averaging 23.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.6 assists, while shooting 49.4 percent from the field. Denver is also hoping it could regain its accuracy from deep. After going 12-for-29 on three-point shots in Game 1, they were just 6-for-29 in Game 2.
The over is 4-0 in Denver’s last four road games.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (53-29, Regular Season)
Even with Damian Lillard misfiring from the field, the Blazers got the job done and stole a win on the road before heading back home for Game 3. Lillard, who dropped 39 points in Game 1 against the Nuggets, scored just 14 on 5-for-17 shooting on Tuesday. The win was made possible mostly because of two things: the Blazers’ defense and the team’s supporting cast rising up to the occasion on offense. The Blazers held Denver to only 34.7 percent shooting from the field. Al-Farouq Aminu and Maurice Harkless, meanwhile, combined for 16 points after chipping in just four points together in Game 1. Harkless, however , hurt his ankle in the second period and didn’t return, so there’s a possibility that he may not play this Friday. If that’s the case, Evan Turner and Rodney Hood could get upticks in minutes. Turner has been a disappointment in the series, having scored zero points in Game 1 and just four in Game 2, but not much is really expected from the seemingly overpaid forward. Hood, meanwhile, has stepped it up of late, with 17 points in Game 1 and 15 in Game 2.
The Blazers are 3-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last four home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Denver wins, 117-112.
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