The Portland Trail Blazers (23-27) stop by the Pepsi Center to play Northwestern Division-rival Denver Nuggets (34-16) Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. ET. We analyze Blazers-Nuggets odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Blazers at Nuggets: Key injuries
BLAZERS
- PF Skal Labissiere (knee) out
- C Jusuf Nurkic (leg) out
- SG Rodney Hood (Achilles’) out
- PF Zach Collins (shoulder) out
NUGGETS
- SF Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) out
- C Bol Bol (foot) out
- PF Mason Plumlee (foot) out
- PF Paul Millsap (knee) out
- PG Jamal Murray (ankle) questionable
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Blazers at Nuggets: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Blazers 117, Nuggets 112
Moneyline (ML)
Denver is currently first in the Northwestern Division and have beaten the Trail Blazers in both their meetings this season. The Nuggets were most likely motivated to get revenge on the Blazers for eliminating them in last year’s Western Conference Semifinals.
But, the Trail Blazers are the current ninth seed in the West and have climbed back into contention for the final playoff spot thanks to a 7-3 record over their last 10 games, which featured victories over the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers. Damian Lillard’s crazy hot streak has been the key to the Blazers’ recent success. Over the past 10 games, Lillard is scoring 41.6 points on .528% shooting, .500% from behind the 3-point line with 5.4 rebound and 9.3 assists per game.
Let’s ride with the hot hand, and the more healthy side, and MAKE A SMALL WAGER on BLAZERS +145. New to sports betting? Bet $50 on Blazers +145 to earn a profit of $72.50 if the Blazers win outright.
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Since we are on Portland to win straight up, definitely BET BLAZERS +4.5 (-121). The more expensive price point for the Blazers line can be viewed as a good thing because that means the oddsmakers are trying to price bettors out of betting Portland. Portland is 4-0 against the spread in their last four games. Also, the Nuggets have struggled in similar betting situations this season: They are 0-5-1 against the spread when laying 3-4.5 points.
Over/Under (O/U)
Each of the last two Nuggets’ games have went Over and the Over has cashed in seven of the last eight Blazers games. The Blazers have scored 120+ points in their past six games and the Over correlates with the other handicaps since the Blazers are the eighth highest-scoring team in the NBA. Denver has a good defense—ranked fifth in opponent’s points per game and fourth in opponent’s 3-point percentage—but they’ll need to score points to keep up with the Blazers. Good thing for them the Blazers are ranked 26th in defensive rating.
BET OVER 224.5 (-121) is the right bet on the total of Blazers-Nuggets.
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