The Portland Trail Blazers head to Denver for Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series with the teams all square at two wins apiece, after Denver won on Sunday in Portland, 116-112. That was a remarkable comeback for a Nuggets team that had taken a defeat in four overtimes in Game 3. Nikola Jokic put up 21 points, 12 boards and 11 assists for his fourth triple-double in the postseason not two full days after that epic loss, the first four-overtime playoff game in 66 years. Jamal Murray led all scorers with 34 points and went 11 for 11 from the free-throw line. This loss was the first that Portland had suffered at home in the playoffs. The Trail Blazers got 29 points from CJ McCollum and 28 more from Damian Lillard. The crucial period was the third, when the Nuggets outscored Portland, 27-14. Can the Nuggets keep the momentum going in Game 5? Or will Portland make a stand? Read our NBA sports betting preview before locking in your wager.
Blazers vs Nuggets NBA Playoffs Odds & Game 5 Preview
GAMEDAY. Round 2, Game 5. #RipCity pic.twitter.com/w7lBD2DXrR
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) May 7, 2019
- When: Tuesday, May 7, 2019, 10:30pm ET
- Where: Pepsi Center, Denver
- TV: TNT
- Radio: Portland / Denver
- Live Stream: ESPN+
- NBA Odds: Denver Nuggets -4.5 / O/U 213.5
Why should you bet on Portland?
The problems that Portland faced in Denver in Game 4 had nothing to do with offense, as McCollum and Lillard combined for 57 points, Al-Farouq Aminu added 19 and Seth Curry chipped in 16 as a reserve. Portland shot fairly well (47 percent on the night) and particularly so from downtown (12 for 28), and they had 63 points in the first half. During the third period, they got cold, but then they heated up again down the stretch and simply found that Jamal Murray couldn’t miss any free throws. It is on the defensive end that Portland needs to make adjustments to get a win on Tuesday.
Portland has bounced back well for bettors against the spread, covering in four of their last five contests after a straight up loss. However, they have only covered twice in their last seven games against teams with a winning percentage of .600 or higher and in four of their last 14 games in the Western Conference semifinals. If you like Portland, you see their cagey veteran leaders (Lillard and McCollum) seizing momentum like they have in Portland’s two wins in this series.
Why should you put your money on Denver?
Denver was playing out of desperation in much of Game 4, and they showed their motivation was stronger in the third quarter as they took advantage of Portland’s shooting slump. Murray was the hero with his perfect night from the free throw line, and Paul Millsap added 21 points, along with 14 points from Gary Harris. Ball security was key for Denver, as they only coughed the ball up eight times, and they crashed the boards for 17 offensive rebounds as a team.Denver has covered in five of their last six games at home against a team with a record above .500 on the road and in eight of their last nine games in the Western Conference semifinals. Their youth seems to have matured in a hurry in this series, as they took a four-overtime loss on the chin and came back to win the very next game. If you like the Nuggets, you see them continuing their momentum on their home floor — where the elevation takes a toll on the opposition.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
The duo of Lillard and McCollum makes Portland one of the toughest offensive teams in the league, and having Aminu both inside and outside adds a dimension of rim toughness along with sharpshooting from the outside. With that said, I see Nokic taking charge of this series in Game 5 and the Nuggets winning, 119-112.
