Portland (48-32) at Denver (45-35)
When: Monday, April 9th 2018
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Time: 9:05 ET | TV: NBCS Northwest, Altitude
Opening Odds: Denver -5/218.5
The Denver Nuggets are currently outside the Western Conference playoff race as we head into the last few days of the regular season, but they control their own destiny with two games remaining. Denver will clinch a postseason berth with victories over the Portland Trail Blazers, who they host on Monday, and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. They are tied with Minnesota for the No. 8 spot, but do not win the tiebreaker with the T’Wolves. The Nuggets are on a roll right now with five straight wins including a 134-115 triumph at the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, ending any postseason hopes for the Clippers. The current streak includes all five wins against teams with winning records including the Timberwolves last Thursday. The Trail Blazers are still in the driver’s seat for the No. 3 spot in the West but have dropped three-straight including at 116-105 setback in San Antonio on Saturday. Denver has won two of the three meetings this season including a 104-101 win at Portland on January 22nd.
Portland’s last three losses all came in the state of Texas and they will wrap-up their 2017-18 road schedule on Monday in Denver before closing out the season at home against the fourth-place Utah Jazz. Point guard Damian Lillard scored 33 points in San Antonio after sitting out at Houston on Thursday to rest an ankle injury. Lillard, who averages a team-high 26.8 points, has eclipsed that mark in four of the last five games that he has played. He scored 25 on 10-of-18 shooting in the January 22nd meeting in Denver, while fellow guard CJ McCollum was held to 12 points on 3-of-12 shooting. McCollum has scored below his average (21.5) in five straight games.
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Shooting guard Gary Harris (knee) is nearing a return after missing the last 11 games, but small forward Will Barton is picking up the scoring slack after his 31-point effort in Saturday’s win on 11-of-15 shooting. Barton is averaging 20 points on 51.4% shooting, seven rebounds and 4.6 assists during the five-game winning streak. Seven players scored in double-figures against the Clippers and center Nikola Jokic was the star with a triple-double (23 points, 11 boards, 11 assists).
Denver is on a roll right now and are one of the best home teams in the league. Portland is already looking toward the postseason, while the Nuggets can’t afford another loss. Look for Denver to be focused and ready to go in this one.
Pick: Nuggets -4
- Trail Blazers are 8-1-1 ATS in their last 10 Monday games.
- Trail Blazers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
- Trail Blazers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Trail Blazers are 17-5-1 ATS in their last 23 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Trail Blazers are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Trail Blazers are 19-6-1 ATS in their last 26 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Trail Blazers are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Trail Blazers are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Trail Blazers are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Trail Blazers are 23-8-1 ATS in their last 32 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Trail Blazers are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
- Trail Blazers are 21-8-1 ATS in their last 30 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Trail Blazers are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 vs. Western Conference.
- Trail Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
- Nuggets are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Nuggets are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Nuggets are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Nuggets are 7-18-2 ATS in their last 27 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Nuggets are 1-3-2 ATS in their last 6 Monday games.
- Nuggets are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Nuggets are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games.
- Under is 4-0 in Trail Blazers last 4 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Under is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 4-1 in Trail Blazers last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 7-2 in Trail Blazers last 9 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 8-3 in Trail Blazers last 11 Monday games.
- Under is 7-3 in Trail Blazers last 10 games following a ATS loss.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Nuggets last 4 Monday games.
- Over is 9-2-1 in Nuggets last 12 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 9-3 in Nuggets last 12 home games.
- Under is 15-5 in Nuggets last 20 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Over is 22-8-1 in Nuggets last 31 overall.
- Over is 11-4 in Nuggets last 15 vs. Western Conference.
- Over is 19-7-1 in Nuggets last 27 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 18-7-1 in Nuggets last 26 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 18-7-1 in Nuggets last 26 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Nuggets last 8 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 11-5 in Nuggets last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Favorite is 4-0-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Denver.
- Home team is 3-1-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Trail Blazers are 7-3-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Denver.
