Oklahoma City has been better this season but Portland has the home court advantage, so this looks like an intriguing showdown between two teams in the West. The Trail Blazers have put together a disappointing campaign but are still within a game and a half of the playoffs and hope to qualify.
This is an important matchup for both sides.
At 10:30 p.m. ET, tune into TNT for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Thursday, March 2, 2017, at Moda Center.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Thunder is 34-25 straight up and 33-26 against the spread. Oklahoma City has played in 29 road games and has covered in 13 of them. The Thunder has been much better at home on the year. Oklahoma City is 25-11 against the spread as the favorite and only 8-15 as the underdog so where the spread comes in could be a factor in this one.
The Trail Blazers are 24-34 straight up and 23-35 against the spread. Portland has played in 27 home games this season and has covered in 12 of them. The Trail Blazers have gone 14-17 against the spread as the favorite but have only covered in nine of 26 attempts as the underdog.
Last Meeting
Oklahoma City defeated Portland 105-99 the last time these two teams met back on February 5th. The Trail Blazers led 52-46 at halftime before the Thunder turned it on in the second half, highlighted by 19-point fourth quarter for Russell Westbrook.
Damian Lillard finished with a team-high 29 points for Portland in the loss. Despite the early lead, the Trail Blazers could not keep pace with the Thunder in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter where they were outscored 34-26.
The Thunder fell to the Trail Blazers 115-94 the first time these two teams met back in December. Westbrook only finished with 20 points in that contest.
This will be the rubber match between a pair of teams who seem pretty evenly matched.
Player to Watch
Russell Westbrook -- The six-time NBA All Star continues to make his case for this year’s MVP. He is still averaging a triple-double, putting up 31 points, 10.6 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game.
He also leads the team with 1.6 steals per game. Westbrook finished with 41 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the Thunder’s 118-110 win over over New Orleans.
Behind Westbrook, the Thunder is averaging 106.2 point per game. He finished with 42 points against the Trail Blazers in the latest meeting back on February 5th.
Free NBA ATS Pick
This is an interesting matchup. The Thunder have the best player in the game but the Blazers can counter with the backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. It seems certain whichever side has the better guard play will have a big leg up.
Oklahoma City has won three straight and hopes to keep climbing the ladder in the West. Portland has underachieved thus far but the home court advantage in this one is key.
Check out the spread, and if it is a pick ‘em or the Blazers are underdogs or just a slight favorite, they should be the pick. Portland has enough balance to overcome another awesome night from Westbrook and secure an important win as it makes a push for the playoffs.
NBA Odds: Trail Blazers 110, Thunder 106
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
