Spurs vs. Blazers Pick
With both the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers locked into their playoff spots, how will tonight’s 10PM ET meeting play out?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, San Antonio is favored on the road, as the Spurs are getting odds of -4.5 points against the Blazers. The over/under total for the game is listed at 204 points. San Antonio has won five of the last six in this series, including two of three meetings this season.
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San Antonio is coming off a 98-87 loss at home to the Clippers on Saturday which prompted coach Gregg Popovich to declare his stars wouldn’t be resting despite being locked into the No. 2 seed in the West at 61-19. San Antonio is just 1-3 against the spread in its last four and now 41-38-1 against the spread on the season. The Spurs are averaging 105.5 points per game on offense this season while allowing just 98.1. Over their last five, the defense is giving up just 96.2 per game, but the offense is putting up just 97.6 per contest. Kawhi Leonard is leading the team with 25.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while LaMarcus Aldridge is adding 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest.
Portland has won two straight games over the T’Wolves and Jazz to get to 40-40 on the season and secure the final playoff spot in the West. They will face the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs and could be looking to rest players over these last two games. Portland is now 39-41 against the spread this season while averaging 108.2 points per game on offense and giving up 108.7 on defense. However, over the last five games, the Blazers are putting up 106.4 on offense while allowing 103.4 on defense. Damian Lillard is coming off a 59-point performance in the win over the Jazz and now averages 27 points per game for the season. CJ McCollum is adding 23 points per contest as well.
After an emotional win over the Jazz to secure the playoff bid, the Blazers really have nothing to play for. While the Spurs don’t either, Popovich wasn’t happy with their effort this weekend and is sending a message in tonight’s game to his stars. Expect San Antonio to look like a team desperate for a win. Portland won’t risk having their stars expend themselves to try and win a meaningless game.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: SAN ANTONIO SPURS -4.5