The Blazers-Rockets series that promised to be high-scoring and extremely competitive instantly delivered on both fronts in the very first game. LaMarcus Aldridge’s brilliance has given the Blazers the upper hand, but can he come close to replicating that career night to give Portland an unexpected 2-0 series lead over Houston?
[sc:NBAArticles ]Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets Round 1, Game 2 Betting Preview
Series Lines & Schedule
Game 1 – April 20, Portland 122 Houston 120 (OT)
Game 2 – April 23, 9:30PM ET, Portland at Houston – view all NBA lines
Game 3 – April 25, 10:30PM ET, Houston at Portland
Game 4 – April 27, 9:30PM ET, Houston at Portland
Game 5 (if necessary) – April 30, Portland at Houston
Game 6 (if necessary) – May 2, Houston at Portland
Game 7 (if necessary) – May 4, Portland at Houston
Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers
[sc:NBA240banner ]Down 10 with four minutes to go, the Portland Trailblazers’ All-Star duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard proved more clutch than their Houston counterparts as they led a furious rally to defeat the Rockets 122-120 in overtime in Game 1 against the Rockets.
Aldridge continued his domination of the Rockets with a career-high 46 points and 18 rebounds, while Lillard had 31 points and nine rebounds. The two combined for 38 of the team’s 49 fourth quarter and overtime points. Their dynamic wings, Wesley Matthews and Nic Batum also added 18 and 14 points, respectively.
However, the Blazers’ two main weaknesses – defense and depth – still should have cost them the game. The Portland defense allowed three Rockets to score 24 or more points, while the entire bench contributed just seven points in 53 minutes. Obviously, Aldridge won’t explode for a career high every game, which is why head coach Terry Stotts must find a solution to either of those two glaring problems.
One problem the Blazers apparently don’t have is playing on the road. Portland is now 5-0 SU/ATS in its last five road games.
Betting on the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets must be kicking themselves at how they threw away Game 1 by surrendering a double-digit lead late in the fourth quarter.
James Harden (27 points but just 8-28 from the field and 3-14 from downtown) had a horrendous shooting night and went ice-cold in crunch time (2-9 in the fourth quarter and OT). But based on Harden’s performance this year (45% FG, 36% 3PFG), his stroke is bound to recover.
The more pressing concern would be that despite the best efforts of Terrence Jones (12 points, 13 rebounds), they still have no answer for LaMarcus Aldridge, who once again tore them apart. Coach Kevin McHale experimented with playing Omer Asik alongside Dwight Howard to create mismatches. The news of Patrick Beverley’s knee creates more issues that the Houston coach will have to build a plan around.
Due to the misfiring Harden, the Rockets shot an uncharacteristically low 41% from the field and 23% beyond the arc, but Howard (27 points, 15 rebounds) and Chandler Parsons (24 points, 10-21 from the field) still exposed the faulty Blazers defense.
The total has now gone over in eight of the 10 meetings between the two teams in Houston.
Writer’s Prediction
Harden rediscovers his shooting touch while Aldridge comes back to earth as the Rockets earn a split in Houston.
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