Blazers vs. Nuggets Game 5 Prediction
With the series tied at two games apiece, the Trail Blazers will take on the Nuggets at 9:00 p.m. ET for Game 5 on Tuesday night. With the Nuggets listed as 1.5-point home favorites and the total sitting at 226, what’s the best bet for this matchup?
Game Snapshot
523 Portland Trail Blazers (+1.5) at 524 Denver Nuggets (-1.5); o/u 226
9:00 p.m. ET, Monday, June 1, 2021
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
TV: NBATV
Portland Trail Blazers DFS Notes
C.J. McCollum posted a line of 22 points (8-of-20 FG), nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one turnover in 41 minutes in Thursday’s 120-115 loss to Denver. McCollum and his backcourt partner Damian Lillard shot a combined 8-of-26 from deep on Thursday. They will have to be better in Game 4 if the Blazers are going to tie up this series at two games apiece. They will also need more production off the bench outside of Carmelo Anthony, who scored 17 points on Thursday. The team who has won the bench scoring battle has won each game this series. Namely, the Blazers could use a boost from Anfernee Simons who played 16 minutes going 1-of-3 from the floor and tallying just two points. Blazers coach Terry Stotts said he also could see Rondae Hollis-Jefferson getting more time in the coming games. Either way, somebody off of the Portland bench not named Melo will have to step up if the Blazers are going to have a chance to win this series.
Denver Nuggets DFS Notes
Nikola Jokic had 16 points, nine rebounds, one assist and one triple in 27 minutes of a Game 4 defeat to the Blazers on Saturday. It was a miserable afternoon for the Nuggets with the entire team struggling in this one, particularly Michael Porter Jr. who shot 1-of-3 for three points. Jokic had been playing out of his mind in the previous three games with 36.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.7 dimes, so the Nuggets will hoping that they get that form from him when this series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 with it all tied up.
Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers Playoffs Prediction
The over is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these two teams in Denver and is 4-1 in the last five meetings overall. The over is also 4-0 in the Trail Blazers’ last four playoff games as an underdog, is 4-1 in their last five games overall and has cashed in five of their last six conference quarterfinals games. On the other side, the over is 4-1 in the Nuggets’ last five home games, is 20-8 in their last 28 games coming off a loss and are 6-2 in their last eight conference quarterfinals games.
NBA PLAYOFFS PREDICTION: TRAIL BLAZERS/NUGGETS OVER 226