NBA Betting Blazers @ Nuggets
While the Portland Trailblazers (17-10 SU, 12-14 ATS, 11-15 O/U) have won two consecutive games in the BetUS Sportsbook, the Denver Nuggets (17-10 SU, 15-11-1 ATS, 14-13 O/U) have struggled in dropping each of their last three games. Tonight, the Nuggets will look to snap their modest skid while halting the Blazers’ winning ways when they host their younger counterparts tonight at the Pepsi Center tonight.
Portland Is coming off a thrilling 124-119 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, getting a career-high 52 points from all-star shooting guard Brandon Roy on a stellar 14-for-27 shooting mark from the field, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. “I think this is by far the best offensive game I’ve had,” Roy said. “I can’t say the basket was big, but my confidence was huge tonight. I just felt like every shot I took was going to go in.”
Portland head coach Nate McMillan called it a “quiet” 52 points.
“He was just knocking down shots,” McMillan said. “You almost expect him to do this night after night.”
Roy has scored at least 29 points in each of his past five games and is averaging 36.4 per game during the span and is one of just three players in the entire league to average at least 23 points, five assists and four rebounds with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade being the others.
The Nuggets (17-10) won 16 of their first 20 games after acquiring former NBA finals MVP Chauncey Billups from the Detroit Pistons last month, but have dropped three straight, including Saturday’s depressing 108-101 loss to the Suns in which they failed to cover the spread for BetUS NBA sports betting backers as a 5.5-point road underdog.
All three of Denver’s losses have all been against teams that are at least five games above .500.
“One thing I emphasized to the team is we’re beating ourselves a little bit,” coach George Karl said. “There’s a positive energy to how we’re playing but losing is tough to overcome. We’re still in a good place.”
Denver got 23 points from shooting guard J.R. Smith but saw Billups and Carmelo Anthony continue to struggle shooting the ball, combining to go just 9-for32 from the field in the loss.
Billups is averaging just 14.0 points per game on 36.8 percent shooting in the Nuggets’ three losses while Anthony is averaging 15.0 points per contest on 34.8 percent shooting.
Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NBA Free Pick.
The Trail Blazers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.
The Trail Blazers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Nuggets are 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Nuggets are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Under is 4-0 in Trail Blazers last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600.
The Under is 4-0 in Nuggets last 4 games following an ATS loss.
The Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in Denver.
The Over is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
The Trail Blazers are 5-11 ATS in the last 16 meetings in Denver.
NBA Odds
Portland Trail Blazers +3½ -110
Denver Nuggets -3½ -110
Over 202 -110
Under 202 -110
Analysis: I now the Blazers are playing solid basketball at the moment while the Nuggets have struggled a bunch in their last three games, but I like Denver to bounce back with a big win tonight as they turn up the level of their play for the impressive young Blazers who are not to be taken lightly by anyone.
It’s going to be close, but I say the Nuggets cover the spread by a narrow margin.
