Warriors vs Trail Blazers 2019 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Odds & Preview

Warriors vs Trail Blazers 2019 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Odds & Preview

Written by on May 20, 2019

After eliminating the Denver Nuggets in a hard-fought series that went the distance, the Portland Trail Blazers have stumbled badly against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, falling behind three games to none. Even without Kevin Durant (calf), the Warriors have been able to dominate this series against Portland, thanks in large part to the play of Draymond Green, who posted a triple-double in Game 3 (20 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists). Stephen Curry added 36 points. Portland led by 13 at the half, but then Golden State dominated the third period, outscoring Portland by 16 points. Portland has now lost nine consecutive postseason games to the Warriors, going back to the 2016 playoffs. Can Portland avoid the sweep? Or will Golden State finish off the Trail Blazers and then have time to rest and wait for the winner of Milwaukee and Toronto? Take a look at our NBA betting preview of this playoff matchup.

Warriors vs Trail Blazers 2019 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Odds & Preview

When: Monday, May 20, 2019, 9:00pm ET Where: Moda Center, Portland TV: ESPN Radio: 95.7 FM The Game Oakland / KPOJ 620 AM Portland Live Stream: NBA League Pass NBA Odds: Golden State -3.5 / O/U 220.5 

Why should you bet on Golden State?

Even without Kevin Durant, the Golden State offense has clicked throughout the postseason. They average 117.1 points per game, shooting 48.9 percent for the floor, and they have a +7.0 point differential on average throughout the postseason. Durant is still the team’s leading playoff scorer at 34.2 points per game, but Stephen Curry is averaging 26.7 points as well, while Klay Thompson also scores in double figures. Draymond Green is averaging almost 10 boards per game — and the team is shooting 37.5 percent from downtown. Of their last seven road games, Golden State have won five. Despite the fact that they have only covered once in their last eight games coming after a win against the spread in their previous game, they have covered in four of their last five Western conference Finals games. It is difficult to see Portland lying down for a fourth straight loss given the improvement they have shown this season, but Golden State has shown the ability to add a gear to their game in this series, while Portland has not, at least to this point.

Why should you put your money on Portland?

Portland’s offense has also produced in the postseason, averaging 109.2 points per game. However, their shooting has been about five percent lower than Golden State’s. The duo of Damian Lillard (26.8 points per game, 6.3 assists) and CJ McCollum (24.6 points, 5.2 boards) have carried the team once again in these playoffs, although Enes Kanter has also kicked in with double-digit scoring. Portland has won five of their last seven games at the Moda Center. In Game 4, their season is on the line — but they have failed even to cover the spread in four of their last five games at home and in seven of their last 11 games when they are the underdog. The Trail Blazers have blown double-digit leads in Games 2 and 3 in this series, as they struggle to maintain consistency in this series for more than a quarter or so. They showed a similar lack of consistency in their win over Denver, as they seemed to go back and forth between dominance and lethargy. Lillard and McCollum have gone cold in this series, as Lillard is just shooting 33 percent for the series and McCollum is shooting 37 percent. If you like Portland, you see their passion emerging and helping them play a consistent 48 minutes.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction for Warriors vs Trail Blazers

Portland has come a long way from the team that went out in the first round to New Orleans last year. Even so, they don’t have the tools that Golden State has, particularly inside, and their offense has cooled off in this round. I see Golden State completing the sweep with a 121-116 win.