PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* TOTAL MASSACRE >> Off 3-0 SWEEP!
(NBA) Oklahoma City vs. Portland,
Total: 213.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 213.00 | -110.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 37-27 Oklahoma City Thunder will visit the Moda Center on Friday night to take on the 36-26 Portland Trail Blazers. These two teams, along with the SA Spurs, are bunched in a three-way race for seeds three thru five in the West. Portland currently owns the No. 3 position by mere percentage points but all three sit 12 1/2 games behind the Rockets and Warriors, who are in a virtual tie atop the Western Conference standings. The Blazers have won five straight to reach a season-best 10 games over .500 and that run has placed the team in the midst of the battle for third place in Western Conference. The Thunder have won three straight games and five of their last six, after dispatching the Suns 124-116 on Friday in Phoenix.
Oklahoma City: PG Russell Westbrook (25.2-9.7-10.3) had 43 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists last night and has a friendly rivalry with Portland PG Lillard. He tuned up for Saturday's meeting by making 16-of-25 shots against the Suns. Small forward Paul George (22.3 & 5.6) added 20 points against Phoenix and has reached at least 20 in four of the past five games, the exception being a horrific performance against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 24 when he had five points on 1-of-14 shooting. The third member of OKC's "Three Amigos" is Carmelo Anthony (16.9 & 6.0) but he is shooting just 21-of-64 (32.8%) over the past four games. OKC is an enigma. The Thunder have won enough close games against inferior opposition of late to lead critics to wonder about a lack of intensity. However, OKC has beaten Golden State (twice), Houston and Cleveland this season and is 5-3 against teams with at least a .600 winning percentage. Portland is a tad shy of that figure, at .581.
Portland: The Blazers have won 13 of 18 after beating Minnesota 108-99 on Thursday, as the team makes a strong push for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Lillard (26.5-4.6-6.5) averaged 31.4 points in February, the highest in any month in franchise history, and continued his strong play by scoring 35 points in Thursday's win over the Timberwolves. Lillard has scored 35 or more points in five of the past seven games, including outings of 50, 44 and 40, and is averaging 36.9 during the stretch. Partner McCollum (21.6) gives Portland a dynamic backcourt duo but only center Nurkic (14.2 & 8.3) scores in double digits among the other Blazers.
The pick: Both Portland and Oklahoma City are in the thick of a Western Conference playoff race that is so tight, every spot from No. 3 to 10 remains up for grabs with five weeks left in the regular season. Portland has both meetings with OKC this year, 103-99 at home on Nov. 5 and 117-106 on the road on Jan. 9. The Blazers have also won 12 of their last 13 at home, going 12-1 ATS, as well. In fact, OKC has lost seven consecutive games in Portland dating to February 2014 and is a modest 16-16 SU on the road this season. Maybe the play should be Portland but OKC has a knack of playing up to its competition so instead, I'll make the Over a 10* play.
Oklahoma City: PG Russell Westbrook (25.2-9.7-10.3) had 43 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists last night and has a friendly rivalry with Portland PG Lillard. He tuned up for Saturday's meeting by making 16-of-25 shots against the Suns. Small forward Paul George (22.3 & 5.6) added 20 points against Phoenix and has reached at least 20 in four of the past five games, the exception being a horrific performance against the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 24 when he had five points on 1-of-14 shooting. The third member of OKC's "Three Amigos" is Carmelo Anthony (16.9 & 6.0) but he is shooting just 21-of-64 (32.8%) over the past four games. OKC is an enigma. The Thunder have won enough close games against inferior opposition of late to lead critics to wonder about a lack of intensity. However, OKC has beaten Golden State (twice), Houston and Cleveland this season and is 5-3 against teams with at least a .600 winning percentage. Portland is a tad shy of that figure, at .581.
Portland: The Blazers have won 13 of 18 after beating Minnesota 108-99 on Thursday, as the team makes a strong push for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Lillard (26.5-4.6-6.5) averaged 31.4 points in February, the highest in any month in franchise history, and continued his strong play by scoring 35 points in Thursday's win over the Timberwolves. Lillard has scored 35 or more points in five of the past seven games, including outings of 50, 44 and 40, and is averaging 36.9 during the stretch. Partner McCollum (21.6) gives Portland a dynamic backcourt duo but only center Nurkic (14.2 & 8.3) scores in double digits among the other Blazers.
The pick: Both Portland and Oklahoma City are in the thick of a Western Conference playoff race that is so tight, every spot from No. 3 to 10 remains up for grabs with five weeks left in the regular season. Portland has both meetings with OKC this year, 103-99 at home on Nov. 5 and 117-106 on the road on Jan. 9. The Blazers have also won 12 of their last 13 at home, going 12-1 ATS, as well. In fact, OKC has lost seven consecutive games in Portland dating to February 2014 and is a modest 16-16 SU on the road this season. Maybe the play should be Portland but OKC has a knack of playing up to its competition so instead, I'll make the Over a 10* play.
