Trail Blazers are Playing Well as Blazers Come to Town
Thursday’s game between the Oklahoma City Thunder (39-25 SU, 33-31 ATS) and the Portland Trail Blazers (39-25 SU, 37-27 ATS) looks like a close one on paper. However, the Blazers are on a roll right now, while the Thunder have been struggling. This is a good matchup to tell how the teams are stacking up for the NBA Playoffs. The Thunder Look to sweep the season series tonight.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT; FS Oklahoma, NBCS Northwest (Portland) LINE: Blazers -3.5; O/U: 232.5.
All-Star forward Paul George averaged 40 points in the three victories with a high of 47. George (shoulder) returned from a three-game absence in Tuesday’s 131-120 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was 8-of-25 shooting while scoring 25 points. Portland returns home for a brief two-game stay after a 5-2 road trip. The trip ended with a disappointing 120-111 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers led by as many as 16 points in the opening quarter but ran out of gas in the final stanza when they were outscored 38-25.
This, That, and a Dart Throw
Oklahoma City has dropped five of its last six games. The defense was an issue against the Timberwolves. The Wolves scored 30 or more points in three of the four quarters. Point guard Russell Westbrook poured in 38 points after failing to score more than 23 points in the previous four games. C Steven Adams has recorded four straight double-doubles and is averaging 13.5 points and 15 rebounds during the stretch.
The Trail Blazers appeared to be en route to achieving the best seven-game road trip in franchise history. The early momentum evaporated while guard Mike Conley was scoring a career-best 40 points for Memphis. Damian Lillard scored 24 points in the contest while shooting guard C.J. McCollum led the way with 27. Lillard is averaging 29.3 points against Oklahoma City this season and has topped 30 twice.
PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 121, Thunder 115
NBA Betting Odds & Trends
| Oklahoma City Thunder | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games | ||
| Oklahoma City is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games | ||
| The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City’s last 6 games | ||
| Oklahoma City is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road | ||
| Oklahoma City is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oklahoma City’s last 9 games on the road | ||
| Oklahoma City is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Portland | ||
| Oklahoma City is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Portland | ||
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City’s last 5 games when playing Portland | ||
| Oklahoma City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland | ||
| Oklahoma City is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Portland | ||
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland | ||
Portland Trail Blazers |
||
|---|---|---|
| Portland is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games | ||
| Portland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland’s last 6 games | ||
| Portland is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home | ||
| Portland is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home | ||
| The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland’s last 5 games at home | ||
| Portland is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Oklahoma City | ||
| Portland is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Oklahoma City | ||
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland’s last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City | ||
| Portland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City | ||
| Portland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City | ||
| The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland’s last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City | ||
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