Portland (23-27) at Denver (34-16)
When: Tuesday, February 4th, 2020
Where: Pepsi Center,
Denver, CO
Time: 9:05 ET | TV: Altitude
Opening Odds: Denver -4.5/220.5
Portland Trail Blazers’ star guard Damian Lillard has decided to take over and carry the team on his back the last six games and it’s paying off. The Blazers look to stay hot when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. Lillard has helped bring the Blazers from near the bottom of the Western Conference to ninth place, just 1.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies entering Monday’s action. Portland has won four in a row and five of six after a 124-107 home win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Lillard poured in 51 points and is averaging 48.8 points with four double-doubles and a triple-double over the last six games. Lillard’s 49 3-pointers are the most in history over a six-game span and his 293 points are tied with Kobe Bryant (2007) for the third-most over six games, behind James Harden (twice). The Nuggets are a tough team to figure out right now, winning 127-115 at the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, but fell 128-123 in overtime at the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Denver is in third place in the West, a half-game behind the L.A. Clippers for second and four back of the Lakers for the top spot entering Monday’s play. Denver has won both meetings thus far – one at home and one on the road – and have covered the spread in each.
While Lillard is doing all the heavy-lifting, others are stepping up as well in Portland’s recent surge including center Hassan Whiteside. The rebounding machine recorded 17 points and 21 boards in Saturday’s win for his sixth consecutive double-double. The Trail Blazers knocked off three teams ahead of them in the Western Conference the last three games, including a back-to-back over the Lakers and Jazz on Friday and Saturday, and will face two more this week beginning Tuesday. Portland will host San Antonio on Thursday and play at Utah the next night.
The banged-up Nuggets have been relying heavily on star center Nikola Jokic, who recorded his 10th triple-double of the season in Sunday’s loss to the lowly Pistons, collecting 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Nuggets are still without starters Jamal Murray (ankle) and Paul Millsap (knee) and forward Michael Porter Jr. (ankle). Guard Will Barton is chipping in 20.7 points over the last three games and hit 6-of-9 three-pointers in the win over Milwaukee on Friday. Denver will be at Utah tomorrow night.
Denver is very good defensively, but I don’t think anyone can slow down Lillard right now. The Blazers are gaining confidence with some quality wins, while the Nuggets have just been too inconsistent.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Tuesday. He is 55-45-3 on the season after a 8-2 run!
Pick: Blazers +4.5
Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Trail Blazers are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 road games.
Trail Blazers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 Tuesday games.
Trail Blazers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
Nuggets are 8-1-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up loss.
Nuggets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss.
Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
Nuggets are 4-10-2 ATS in their last 16 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
Nuggets are 1-4-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Nuggets are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Nuggets are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 Tuesday games.
Under is 6-0 in Trail Blazers last 6 Tuesday games.
Over is 7-1 in Trail Blazers last 8 overall.
Over is 7-1 in Trail Blazers last 8 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 7-1 in Trail Blazers last 8 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-1 in Trail Blazers last 7 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 6-1 in Trail Blazers last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 games as an underdog.
Over is 5-1 in Trail Blazers last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 4-1 in Trail Blazers last 5 games following a straight up win.
Over is 4-1 in Trail Blazers last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.
Over is 5-2 in Trail Blazers last 7 games as a road underdog.
Over is 5-2 in Trail Blazers last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 9-4 in Trail Blazers last 13 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 4-0 in Nuggets last 4 games following a straight up loss.
Under is 4-1 in Nuggets last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 4-1 in Nuggets last 5 Tuesday games.
Under is 9-3 in Nuggets last 12 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 14-5 in Nuggets last 19 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Over is 11-4 in Nuggets last 15 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
Over is 8-3 in Nuggets last 11 games as a favorite.
Over is 21-8-1 in Nuggets last 30 games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Nuggets last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 9-4 in Nuggets last 13 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 29-14 in Nuggets last 43 games as a home favorite.
Trail Blazers are 4-11-1 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
Over is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
