The OKC Thunder managed to keep from going too deep into the hole with a solid 120-108 win on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. With another game at home this Sunday they know they need to even things up so that Westbrook and George can take their rightful place in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs. Meanwhile, Portland has their sights set at taking this one and closing out the series at home on Tuesday. Will OKC sustain the momentum from Friday into their Easter meeting with Portland?
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Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City
When: Sunday, April 21, 2019, 9:30 PM ET
Line: Portland Trail Blazers (odds) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (odds) – view all NBA lines
Series: 2-1 (in favor of Portland)
TV Broadcast: TNT
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers (53-29 Regular Season)
After a dominant second quarter for the Thunder, Portland hit back hard in the third with 43 points and it looked like they might dismiss Oklahoma City until the Thunder rolled right back in the final 12 minutes. Damian Lillard held up his end of the bargain for his team though, scoring 32 points while CJ McCollum and Enes Canter contributed 21 and 19 respectively. The problem, was that the Trail Blazers bench was quiet yet much needed as the starters were running low on fumes as their opponent remained relentless on the offensive end. Portland sits dead middle in the NBA when it comes to team defensive efficiency, and their mid-level D was just that against OKC, ergo the 120 points in the win column. The bench will likely step up this Sunday, and they’ll need to as the Thunder will bring it in their second game at home.
After a loss this season, Portland is 16-13 against the spread (ATS), covering 52.2% of the time.
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder (49-33 Regular Season)
Russell Westbrook (someone trade this guy to a contender!) did it all in game 3 after what he called an “unacceptable” performance in game 2. He put in 33 points, and added 11 assists with 12 rebounds in 38 minutes. Westbrook was 11/22 from the field and 7/8 from the free throw line. Paul George added 22 points, but 14 came from the line. He was brutal on the floor, hitting for just 3 of 16. Still, as a team they shot 48.1% which was only slightly better than the Trail Blazers. 3-pointers were a difference maker as OKC hit 51.7% from beyond the arc which is far better than their 34.4% average on the season. But again, the game wasn’t all that lopsided, as Portland had only 3 more turnovers than the Thunder, and OKC was outrebounded 50-48. While an impressive win, they will need to maintain their offensive momentum while keeping Portland under 100 points in game 4, or risk losing it in the final minutes. With the fifth best defensive efficiency in the league this year, they can absolutely do it.
After a win this season, OKC is 27-22 ATS, covering 55.1% of the time.
Writer’s Prediction
Oklahoma City evens up the series with a 110-97 win over Portland.
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