The Denver Nuggets barely missed out on the playoffs a season ago but look poised to finish among the top teams in the Western Conference this year. The Nuggets are off to a nice start and have a key game this week when they hit the road to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland has started off nicely as well and is in a muddled group of teams jockeying for postseason positioning in the West along with Denver. The Blazers should be the favorite to win this game because of the location but the teams are pretty even in talent level and the game could be a good one.
The season is only about 25 percent of the way done but the Western Conference battle is likely to wage all year so this could be important down the road in NBA gambling.
This NBA basketball game between the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers will be held at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon at 10:30 p.m ET on Friday, November 30th, 2018. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
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Odds Analysis
The Trail Blazers are 12-8 on the season. They began the year quite quickly but have lost three in a row to fall back within the pack in the West. Portland has gone 7-3 at home this year and would like to defend its turf in this one.
The Nuggets are 13-7 after a recent three-game winning streak. Denver has won five of its nine attempts on the road this year and this would be a nice victory. Denver has been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this year, which is something to keep in mind for the scoring total in NBA odds.
Injury Report
Portland center Jusuf Nurkic bruised his shoulder on Sunday against the Clippers and didn’t return to the game. Keep a close eye on his status as Nurkic is a big piece of the puzzle for the Blazers. He is averaging 15.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest and is the team’s biggest inside presence.
The Nuggets are hoping to have point guard Gary Harris. He is dealing with an ankle injury but seems probable to be available. Harris is averaging 16.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest while playing some solid defense.
In a game that figures to be close, if one of these teams gets one of the players back and the other can’t go, it could have an impact on the outcome.
Player To Watch
Nikola Jokic -- The Nuggets’ 23-year old center is one of the most talented big men in the NBA. He is averaging 16.6 points and 9.9 rebounds, but the most intriguing thing about Jokic is his passing. He is averaging a team-high 7.2 assists on the year, which makes it tough for opposing defenses.
The Blazers have the better backcourt with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum but Jokic is a dominant big man who could be tough to stop. Portland would love to have Nurkic available in able to throw an athletic player at Jokic.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Nuggets have the best point-differential in the West, which is a good sign of things to come. This is not an easy game whatsoever but Denver should be able to squeak out a close win. The Blazers are reliant on perimeter play and the Nuggets do a pretty good job of bottling it up.
Take Denver to pick up a nice road victory and remain among the top teams in the West in NBA wagering.
NBA ATS Pick: Denver Nuggets 109, Portland Trail Blazers 105
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