The Sacramento Kings visit the Portland Trail Blazers as the teams open their seasons Wednesday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET at Moda Center. Below, we look at the Kings vs. Trail Blazers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Kings were 31-41 last season for the second consecutive year and finished 12th in the Western Conference. They added big men C Tristan Thompson and C Alex Len in the offseason and drafted PG Davion Mitchell ninth overall. Luke Walton is in his third season as their head coach. They are led by G De’Aaron Fox, who averaged 25.2 points per game last season.
The Blazers open a new era with Chauncey Billups as head coach as they try to get over the hump of just making the playoffs. They lost in the first round in six games to the Denver Nuggets as the sixth seed in the Western Conference last year. PG Damien Lillard is still the main man as he enters his 10th season with the club.
Kings at Trail Blazers odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Kings +170 (bet $100 to win $170) | Trail Blazers -210 (bet $210 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Kings +5.5 (-115) | Trail Blazers -5.5 (-107)
- Over/Under (O/U): 232.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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Kings at Trail Blazers key injuries
Kings
- None
Trail Blazers
- G Tony Snell (foot) out
Kings at Trail Blazers odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Trail Blazers 121, Kings 114
Money line
The Kings were only 15-21 last season on the road, while the Blazers were 21-18 at home. Portland won all three meetings last season.
The Kings are still an up-and-coming team, while the Blazers are still considered playoff-bound as the new season begins.
Until we see the Kings be significantly better than in years past, go with the home team.
Take the TRAIL BLAZERS (-210).
Against the spread
The Blazers were 40-38 ATS last year, including the playoffs, while the Kings were 34-37-1 ATS. The Blazers were 16-23 ATS at home and the Kings were 21-15 ATS on the road.
With fans back in the building, the energy will be high.
LEAN TRAIL BLAZERS -5.5 (-107).
Over/Under
The Blazers had one of the league’s best offenses last season as they ranked fifth in the league with 116.1 points per game. The Kings averaged 113.7 points per game, but were last in the league in defensive rating.
53.2% if the Blazers’ games last season went Over the projected total, while exactly 50% of the Kings’ did.
I don’t expect the Kings to be significantly better defensively than last season right away and the Blazers still have one of the most explosive scorers in the league in Lillard. I expect a high-scoring affair to open the year.
Take OVER 232.5 (-108).
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