Nuggets vs Trail Blazers Odds: Big Division Matchup in Portland
Blazers Aim for Another Big Scalp
Portland Proving They’re the Real Deal
The Trail Blazers have exceeded everyone’s expectations so far this season and will look to claim another impressive win when they play host to the Denver Nuggets. Let’s take a look at the Nuggets vs Trail Blazers odds in a pivotal division showdown.
Chauncey Billups has done an excellent job in his second season in charge as the Blazers continue to establish themselves as a genuine NBA playoff team in the West.
Things haven’t quite been so bright in Denver where the Nuggets are struggling to meet the early expectations. The team comes into this one having lost three straight, including their last two on the road. Denver has still opened as favorites for this one, sitting at -1.5 points on the spread with the total set at 226.0 points.
Nuggets vs Trail Blazers 
Date, time (TV):
Location: Moda Center
Simons Putting the League on Notice
The Blazers‘ early season success has been made more impressive when you consider that All-Star guard Damian Lillard has already missed 12 games to start the season.
His absence has all but been forgotten thanks to the play of Anfernee Simons. The former first round pick has been lights out from beyond the arc this season, averaging 10.6 three-point attempts per game while shooting at almost 40% to match.
His ability to be a post up shooter while also running the floor as a primary playmaker has given this team the offensive balance they so desperately needed after bottoming out last season.
The additions of Jerami Grant and Josh Hart are the perfect compliment to their backcourt duo, with their length and size providing enough defensive stability to overcome the shortcomings of Lillard and Simons at that end of the floor.
Their NBA matchup with the Nuggets should provide opportunities for the star scoring duo to shine again. Denver is 24th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and 28th in above the break 3-pointers allowed, something that will play into the hands of Simons and Lillard in particular.
Denver Needs to Show Progress
The Nuggets are very much on the opposite end of the spectrum right now. The team is seemingly underperforming the sum of their parts and they aren’t quite clicking in the way we assumed they would coming into the season.
NBA injuries continue to be an issue for a lot of the top teams and the Nuggets are no different.
Reintegrating Jamal Murray has slowed the impact of reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and having Michael Porter Jr out once again has meant the teams rotations have again been thrown out of alignment.
Despite that the team isn’t performing with the effort or intensity that coach Mike Malone expects from his team and he has no problem making that known.
The team currently ranks 26th in Defensive Rating on the season and haven’t been able to find a way to execute their offense at a high level without compensating their defense.
Scoring shouldn’t be too problematic for them in this matchup either. Portland rank 30th in expected opponent field goals, meaning if opponents simply shot at league average from the areas on the floor they’re generating looks against the Blazers then Portland would own the worst defensive rating.
In games against the bottom-five defensive teams this season the Blazers are averaging 125.6 points per game. That includes a 135-110 win against the Nuggets in the opening week of the season.
Despite the division implications and the projected pace of the best NBA betting picks for this game is for it to go Over the total. Both offenses should have their way and I expect points to be flowing in this one.
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