The Indiana Pacers (34-24) currently sit in sixth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings, 16 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks but just two games behind the Miami Heat, who are in fourth place right now. The Pacers have been reeling lately, dropping seven of ten, thanks in part to the occasional absence of the injured Victor Oladipo. On Thursday, the Pacers welcome another team having issues as the Portland Trail Blazers come to town. Portland has slid out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference, 19 ½ games out of first and 2 ½ games out of the eighth position, sitting in ninth with a 26-33 record. Damian Lillard has missed time due to injury, and the Trail Blazers offense has suffered as a result. Which struggling team will find their way to a win? Check out our sports betting preview of this interconference matchup. Let’s see how the NBA odds will be for the Blazers vs Pacers.
Blazers vs Pacers 2020 NBA Game Preview & Betting Odds
- When: Thursday, February 27, 2020, 8:00 pm ET
- Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
- TV: TNT
- Radio: KPOJ 620 AM Portland / WFNI 1070 AM Indianapolis
- Live Stream: fuboTV
- NBA Odds: Indiana -9.5 / O/U 218.5
Why should you bet on Portland?
Portland has dropped four of five, losing to the Pelicans twice and to the Grizzlies before beating Detroit, only to lose to Boston on Wednesday. The Portland win over Detroit came by just three points, as the Trail Blazers really had a hard time getting baskets against a Detroit team that can jam up the middle but isn’t really known for defense. On Wednesday, Boston came to Portland and won by 12 thanks to a three-point exhibition from Jayson Tatum, who knocked down eight shots from distance on the way to 36 points.
On Portland’s end in that game, C.J. McCollum scored 28 points and dished out ten assists. Hassan Whiteside put up 18 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. Without Lillard, though, the Trail Blazers just could not match the Celtics point for point. He has missed three games now due to a groin injury that made him miss the All-Star Game. Lillard is expected to sit out at least two more games, so for now McCollum is running the point. But will that be enough against the Pacers?
Why should you put your money on Indiana?
Indiana recently ended a six-game losing streak by taking down the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks at home. They followed that up with a win over the Knicks, but after that came a 46-point loss in Toronto. The Pacers came home to deliver a rout of their own, walloping Charlotte, 119-80, on Tuesday, as Domantas Sabonis almost had a triple-double with 21 points, 15 boards and nine assists.That game saw the Pacers come out and establish an early tone of control over the game. T.J. Warren put up 19 points, with 15 in the first half, and Justin Holiday had 16 points coming off the bench. The 80 points that Indiana permitted were the lowest by any opponent this season. Victor Oladipo (back soreness) was out again, and Jeremy Lamb was out as well, as he blew out his left knee in Toronto and will miss the rest of the season. Even so, the players that the Pacers had on the floor were enough to run the Hornets out of the gym. The Pacers have the talent to make the playoffs; can they slow down a Portland team that can score in bunches, even without Lillard?
Blazers vs Pacers Final Score Prediction
The line of 9 ½ points seems a little high for me on this game. Yes, Indiana was able to rout Charlotte, but Portland has more scorers than the Hornets, and Charlotte doesn’t really have a player like McCollum to provide leadership. So while I see Indiana winning this game at home, I also like Portland to stay inside that spread. I predict a final score of Indiana 118, Portland 112.
