The Portland Trail Blazers were among the underdogs who got a win in the first wave of NBA Playoff games. Will they be able to do that again in Game 2 this Monday? Or will the Denver Nuggets avoid falling own a 0-2 hole? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Portland Trail Blazers vs Denver Nuggets NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 2 on May 24, 2021
Where: Ball Arena, Denver
When: Monday, May 24, 2021, 10:00 PM ET
Line: Portland Trail Blazers (+1.5) vs. Denver Nuggets (-1.5) – view all 2020-21 NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (+1.5)
Regular Season Record: 43-30
It was Dame Time in Game 1, as Damian Lillard erupted for 34 points to go along with 10 assists in 40 minutes of the Blazers’ 123-109 road win over the Nuggets. Lillard was all over offensively, as he was getting buckets and dishing dimes to teammates. It seems that Denver was also too slow in catching up with the Blazers’ shooters, who went 19 of 20 from behind the arc. The Nuggets have a big problem in the form of Portland’s offense. With Lillard, CJ McCollum constantly breaking down Denver’s defense and locating spot-up shooters, the Blazers have clear options on offense. The key for them is to keep making those shots consistently. The Blazers shot well towards the end of the regular season with 15.2 threes per game on 41.8 percent shooting from downtown during that stretch.
The Blazers are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games overall.
Betting on the Denver Nuggets (-1.5)
Regular Season Record: 47-26
Denver got 34 points from Nikola Jokic in Game 1, but those were clearly not enough to tow his team to a victory. The Blazers made Jokic a scorer and limited his passing greatly, as he only had an assist in the 35 minutes he was on the floor. That being said, there’s a reason he’s the leading candidate to win the MVP award this season. If there’s a player who could come back and be better in one particular offensive stat, that would Jokic, who finished the regular season with averages of 26.4 points, 8.3 assists, and 10.1 rebounds. The absence of Jamal Murray has given Michael Porter Jr. a bigger role on offense, but he has to start making 3-point shots after going 1 of 10 from the 3-point area in Game 1. He shot 44.5 percent from deep in the regular season. He should be fine.
The over is 5-1 in the Nuggets’ last six games after suffering a loss.
Writer’s Prediction
The Nuggets win, 115-109.
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