Denver (53-26) at Portland (50-29)
When: Sunday, April 7th, 2019
Where: Moda Center,
Portland, Oregon
Time: 9:05 ET | TV: Altitude,
NBCS Northwest
Opening Odds: Portland -2/217
There is a full slate of NBA action on Sunday’s schedule, as the league will take Monday off as they usually do for the NCAA Championship Game. One of those matchups is a big one for playoff positioning between the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers from Moda Center. The Nuggets have already clinched the Northwest Division, but are trying to chase down the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference while also holding off No. 3 Houston for the second spot. Denver begins the day two games behind the Warriors and 1.5 in front of the Rockets, while the Blazers are the No. 4 team currently. Portland is 1.5 games behind Houston and one game ahead of fifth-place Utah in the West entering Sunday’s action. This will be the second meeting in three days between the teams with Denver taking a 119-110 home win on Friday behind 22 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists from Nikola Jokic. Despite the loss Friday, Portland has won 11 of their last 14 and most of that has been done without guard CJ McCollum and center Jusuf Nurkic. McCollum is close to returning from a knee injury and may play in tonight’s contest, but Nurkic has been lost for the season. The Blazers last beat Denver in November of 2017 – a span of six games.
Jokic should received some MVP votes this season with his 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists averages, but this team does have six other players that average in double-figures in points. Paul Millsap (12.8 points) is one of them, and poured in 25 on Friday for his highest total in 12 games, while bringing down seven rebounds as well. Jamal Murray is second behind Jokic at 18.2 points and leads the team in minutes-played at 32.6 game. It’s the defense that has helped Denver become one of the West’s favorites this season, ranking sixth in points allowed (106.6) and tops at defending the 3-point line (33.8 percent).
Enes Kanter (13.6 points, 9.7 rebounds) has helped pick up the scoring slack lately with 20 or more points in a career-high four straight games after eclipsing that mark only seven times prior. Damian Lillard is and always will be the leader of this team and averages 25.9 points per game, but has struggled this year in the three matchups with Denver’s tough defense (18.3). Al-Farouq Aminu recorded 12 points and 14 rebounds in Friday’s matchup with the Nuggets for his career-high 11th double-double of the season. Guard Seth Curry (7.7 points) missed Friday’s game with a leg injury and is questionable for Sunday.
Denver not only is the better – and healthier – team, but they have owned the Blazers recently and still have a lot to play for. Not only have they won six straight meetings, but they’re 4-1-1 ATS in that span as well. Give me the points.
Pick: Nuggets +3
Nuggets are 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 vs. NBA Northwest.
Nuggets are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win.
Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Nuggets are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Nuggets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
Nuggets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
Trail Blazers are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS loss.
Trail Blazers are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Trail Blazers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Trail Blazers are 20-7 ATS in their last 27 games playing on 1 days rest.
Trail Blazers are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up loss.
Trail Blazers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 14-2 in Nuggets last 16 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 6-1 in Nuggets last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 12-2 in Nuggets last 14 games following a straight up win.
Under is 10-2 in Nuggets last 12 road games.
Under is 10-2 in Nuggets last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 9-2 in Nuggets last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 17-4 in Nuggets last 21 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 21-5 in Nuggets last 26 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 12-3 in Nuggets last 15 vs. Western Conference.
Under is 8-2 in Nuggets last 10 games following a ATS win.
Under is 20-6 in Nuggets last 26 overall.
Under is 20-6 in Nuggets last 26 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 19-7 in Nuggets last 26 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 9-4 in Nuggets last 13 Sunday games.
Over is 4-0 in Trail Blazers last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 13-2-1 in Trail Blazers last 16 home games.
Over is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 Sunday games.
Over is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 vs. NBA Northwest.
Over is 19-5-2 in Trail Blazers last 26 games playing on 1 days rest.
Over is 9-3-1 in Trail Blazers last 13 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 3-1-1 in Trail Blazers last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-2-1 in Trail Blazers last 8 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 5-2-1 in Trail Blazers last 8 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Nuggets are 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
Favorite is 6-2-1 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
Over is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.
