The Portland Trail Blazers are smoking right now. They are one of the hottest teams in the NBA of late, and they are hoping their momentum will be key in them finally beating the Denver Nuggets this season. Will the Blazers succeed? Or will Denver humble them again? See the latest future odds for all playoff-bound NBA teams here.
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Betting Preview for the Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets NBA Regular Season Game on April 5, 2019
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver
When: Friday, April 5, 2019, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Portland Trail Blazers (odds) vs. Denver Nuggets (odds) –view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (50-28)
It’s hard to argue against the idea that the Blazers are in playoff form right now. They have won eight of their last nine games, a stretch that includes their 116-89 annihilation of the going-nowhere Memphis Grizzlies at home on Wednesday. Prior to that, Portland outlasted the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road, 132-122. Enes Kanter has stepped up big time since the devastating season-ending injury suffered by Jusuf Nurkic. Kanter has filled in nicely in Nurkic’s spot, even leading the Blazers in scoring over the last three games with 20.3 points average over that span. Against the Grizzlies, Kanter had his way, scoring 21 points and grabbing 15 rebounds, though, his work was made a whole lot easier by the absence of Jonas Valanciunas for the Grizzlies. Kanter will have a tougher time dealing with Denver’s frontcourt, which is led by Nikola Jokic and Paul Millsap, so Portland will need more from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The two has yet to have simultaneous great performances in a game against Denver, so having the duo function at its peak is still the barometer for Portland in its third and final try this regular season to beat Denver.
The Blazers are 7-3 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 road games.
Betting on the Denver Nuggets (52-26)
The Nuggets arrested a two-game skid and got back in the win column by taking down the San Antonio Spurs at home on Wednesday, 113-85. Jokic was brilliant in the win, missing all but one of his 10 shots and finished with 20 points to go with 11 rebounds and nine assists. Some of the other Denver starters sputtered, with Millsap coughing up just three points, but his underwhelming performance was offset by the fantastic nights of Michael Beasley and Isaiah Thomas, who each banged in 19 points while coming off the bench. Denver’s bench needs to keep the same energy, as the Blazers’ second unit is among the highest-scoring in the NBA. Jokic and Jamal Murray have been the two biggest headaches for the Portland in games against Denver this season. Jokic averaged 27.5 points in those games, while Murray pumped out 17.0. Gary Harris is another man to watch for the Nuggets. He scored 27 points with four 3-pointers in a 113-112 road win in Portland last January.
Denver is 4-0 straight up (SU) and 2-1-1 ATS in its last four home games against Portland.
Writer’s Prediction
Denver wins, 114-110.
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