In case you haven’t realized yet, the Golden State Warriors are hard to beat even without Durant, which the Portland Trail Blazers are finding out. The Warriors will shoot to go up 3-0 in the series this coming Saturday when they pay Portland’s home a visit. The Blazers will look to cut the series deficit in half and avoid a potential sweep. Going into the game, the sportsbook favors the home team Trail Blazers by 2.5 points, while series prices still like the Warriors, giving them -1500 odds to move on to the Finals.
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Betting Preview for Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers NBA Playoff Western Conference Finals Game 3 on May 18, 2019
Where: Moda Center, Portland
When: Saturday, May 18, 2019, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Golden State Warriors (+2.5) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (-2.5) – view all NBA lines
Series: Golden State leads, 2-0.
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Golden State Warriors (57-25 Regular Season)
The Warriors did not have it easy in Game 2, as Portland played with more discipline and with a better game plan, but got away with a 114-111 road win anyway to secure a two-game lead before traveling to Moda Center. Stephen Curry was lights out once again, generating 37 points on 11-for-22 shooting from the field. Klay Thompson added 24 points. The Blazers are having the same problem the rest of the NBA has when going up against Golden State, and that’s trying to close the gap on defense. WIth Curry and Thompson always a threat to get hot and sink deep shots, it’s hard to mind the other Warriors players often left free to get a pass and take low-percentage shots. That’s the same reason why Kevon Looney had 14 points off the bench, as the big man got plenty of lob passes which were mostly a result of Portland’s defense that broke down on a number of times.
The Warriors are 4-0 straight up (SU) and 2-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last four road games.
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (53-29 Regular Season)
Damian Lillard had 23 points and CJ McCollum had 22 in Game 2, but their production were not enough to pull the Blazers through. They also need to be more efficient, as they combined for a 15-for-39 shots from the field. Apart from the Blazers’ backcourt, the team’s big men also have to do a much better job on the glass. The Warriors outrebounded Portland, 56-39, with Enes Kanter and Meyers Leonard collecting just 11 rebounds together. Kanter is clearly struggling with a fasting regimen in observance of Ramadan, but he’ll have to keep trying, especially with Portland not having a luxury of options in the middle. Leonard isn’t known as a rebounding machine, and is more of a stretch-five, while Zach Collins has yet to get the trust of head coach Terry Stotts, who played the former Gonzaga Bulldog a total of just eight minutes in Game 3. The Blazers shot well from behind the arc,though, hitting 18 threes in Game 2 after going just 7-for-28 from downtown in the series opener.
Portland is 9-1 SU and 5-5 ATS in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Portland wins, 118-115.
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