The Denver Nuggets are heavily favored to knock off the Portland Trail Blazers in their second-round series
Denver won Game 1 121-113 on Monday night
Denver has struggled with inconsistency at times, and needed a full seven games to get past the pesky San Antonio Spurs
The Denver Nuggets seized the early lead in their second-round playoff series with the Portland Trail Blazers with a decisive 121-113 win as four-point home chalk on Monday, and have been rewarded on the NBA playoff series prices, where they have vaulted to heavy -240 favorites.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets NBA Playoff Series Prices
| Team | Trail Blazers vs Nuggets Series Odds |
|---|---|
| Portland Trail Blazers | +200 |
| Denver Nuggets | -240 |
Nuggets Turning the Corner Following Years of Futility
After missing the NBA playoffs in each of the past five years, including four straight campaigns with 40 or fewer wins, the Nuggets turned the corner this season, winning 54 games to claim top spot in the Northwest Division standings and the no. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
However, Denver has also struggled with inconsistency at times, falling to defeat in six of its final 11 regular-season contests, and needed a full seven games to get past the pesky San Antonio Spurs in a first-round matchup. And while the Nuggets have enjoyed a big boost from their series-opening position as -140 chalk on the NBA series prices following Monday’s victory, there is little reason to expect them to have any easier time against the Trail Blazers than they did against San Antonio.
Barring a sudden rebound from their recent woes, the Nuggets will likely need to ride their dominance on home court to their first berth in the Western Conference Finals since 2009. Denver emerged as the best home team in the NBA this season, winning 34 games, and has also tallied SU victories in 11 of 13 home dates.
Red-Hot Trail Blazers Overlooked in NBA Playoff Betting
However, unlike the streaky Spurs, the Trail Blazers have been dominant since early March, avoiding consecutive losses during an 18-5 SU run, including an 11-1 run on home hardwood, and wasted no time disposing of the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games in the opening round.
And despite finishing fifth overall in the NBA with 53 wins this season, the Trail Blazers continue to be overlooked in NBA playoff betting. In addition to lagging as +200 underdogs on the NBA series prices, the Trail Blazers also trail badly on the NBA futures, where they sit as a +1800 bet to win the Western Conference, and as distant +8000 longshots to claim their first NBA title since 1977.
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Kanter Injury a Concern, but Blazers Remain an Attractive Bet
Concerns have been raised about the health of big man Enes Kanter. The eight-year veteran played a crucial role in Portland’s first-round ouster of the Oklahoma City Thunder, recording a pair of double-doubles and averaging over 10 rebounds per game during the series.
Kanter was clearly limited in Game 1 by a shoulder injury suffered in the series against OKC, and it would be a blow to Portland if he is lost for any extended time. However, the Blazers’ lengthy odds are simply too hard to overlook against a Nuggets squad that has made it past the first round on just three occasions since 1988.
Pick: Trail Blazers (+200)