Nuggets Look to go up 2-0 on Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets will meet on Wednesday at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets will be looking to take early control of this best-of-seven series and go up 2-0 heading back to Portland. Nikola Jokic’s star continues to shine this postseason. The All-Star center was splendid all around in game one. He had 37 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocked shots to lead Denver to a 121-113 victory.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, TNT LINE: Nuggets -4; O/U: 219.
Jokic has topped 20 points in six of eight playoff games this postseason. He had a 43-point effort during the first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. The Trail Blazers made a lot of wrong plays in the opener as they committed 18 turnovers. Six were from star point guard Damian Lillard.
This, That, and a Dart Throw
Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter played with a separated left shoulder in Game One. He displayed toughness and produced as he scored 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting in 33 minutes. Kanter received an injection prior to the game in an attempt to alleviate the pain. SG Rodney Hood scored 17 points in the opener. He only averaged 3.2 ppg in the first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Denver allowed 29 or more points in three of the four quarters in Game One. Guard Jamal Murray committed just one turnover while putting up 23 points and eight assists. He has scored at least 23 in four of the past five playoff games. Jokic was 12-of-12 from the free-throw line in Game 1. This was after attempting more than four shots from the charity stripe twice in the first round against San Antonio. SG Gary Harris scored 11 points in Game One. He failed to reach 20 points for the sixth straight game. This is after opening the San Antonio series with outings of 20 and 23 points.
The Dart Throw: Nuggets 115, Trail Blazers 109
NBA Playoffs Betting Odds & Trends
| Portland Trail Blazers |
|---|
| Portland is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games |
| Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road |
| The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland’s last 6 games on the road |
| Portland is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Denver |
| Portland is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Denver |
| The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland’s last 5 games when playing Denver |
| Portland is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver |
| Portland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Denver |
| The total has gone OVER in 7 of Portland’s last 9 games when playing on the road against Denver |
| Denver Nuggets |
|---|
| Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games |
| The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver’s last 7 games |
| Denver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home |
| The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Denver’s last 17 games at home |
| Denver is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland |
| Denver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Portland |
| The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver’s last 5 games when playing Portland |
| Denver is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Portland |
| Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Portland |
| The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver’s last 9 games when playing at home against Portland |
Next up:
Portland home to Denver Friday, May 3
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