The Denver Nuggets were in a grueling seven-game series in the first round of the playoffs but showed no ill effects last time out. Denver used a strong second half to pull away from the Portland Trail Blazers to take a 1-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinals series.
The teams are back at it again on Wednesday, with Denver aiming to take a 2-0 lead but Portland with other ideas. The Nuggets were slight favorites the first time these teams met and that will be the case once again in Game 2 in NBA gambling. This is shaping up to be a competitive series as they finished the regular season with similar records and are at about the same level of talent.
This NBA basketball game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets will be held at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 1st, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on TNT.
We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA season.
Odds Analysis
The Nuggets were four-point favorites in Game 1 and have been listed as the four-point favorites once again for this matchup. Denver comes in as the -170 favorite on the moneyline while the Trail Blazers are the +148 underdogs. The scoring total is listed at 217.5 points, which is an uptick from the first game of this series, which was played at a fast pace.
The Nuggets covered the spread in the first game of this series while the “over” was the correct choice on the scoring total.
Last Time Out
The Nuggets used a strong third quarter to build a nice lead and then held off the Blazers down the stretch. Nikola Jokic led the way with 37 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the 121-113 victory. Denver kept the gas pedal down until the end, keeping Portland at bay.
Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 39 points on 12-of-21 from the floor. Enes Kanter had a big game as well for Portland, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds. However, they did not get enough help from the rest of the team.
Denver was really efficient offensively, shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 41 percent from three-point range. Jamal Murray had 23 points and eight assists.
Player To Watch
Seth Curry -- The little brother of Steph Curry has been a nice piece for the Blazers off the bench this season. However, he was nearly invisible in Game 1 with four points and two rebounds in 14 minutes of play.
Lillard and C.J. McCollum will lead the way offensively but Portland needs a reliable third option. Kanter had a great game last time out but he cannot be counted on for regular scoring. Curry is a knockdown three-point shooter and if he can reach double digits in Game 2 it will give Portland a much better chance at pulling the upset.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Nuggets have solid depth and a star big man in Jokic, but the playoffs often come down to the best perimeter players. The Blazers have the advantage in that area with Lillard and McCollum, and they should combine for a sterling performance in this one.
This game should be competitive throughout as the talent level on these teams is pretty even. Lillard is the best scorer on the floor, which will help Portland gain control in crunch time and lead the team to the upset victory in NBA betting lines.
NBA ATS Pick: Portland Trail Blazers 113, Denver Nuggets 111
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