Blazers Favored to Extend Nuggets to a Seventh Game

After squandering a 55-point performance from Damian Lillard in Tuesday’s double-overtime loss, the Trail Blazers (44-33 SU, 40-37 ATS) try to stave off elimination when they host Denver (50-27, 37-40). Portland opened as a 4-point favorite to force a seventh game in the high-scoring series.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The opener of Portland -4 was a half-point shorter than what the Blazers were favored by in Game 4, but early bettors quickly took care of that. Portland was a 5-point favorite as of this morning, while the total had dropped a point to 207.5.

Denver News & Notes

The Nuggets were the NBA’s best bet in the first quarter this season, going 43-29 ATS, and got out to a hot start in their Game 5 victory on Tuesday. Denver blitzed the Trail Blazers for 38 points in the Sportsbook frame and led by 22 points early in the second quarter, finishing the Sportsbook half 10-for-22 from three-point range.

Part of that hot start might have been due to getting called out by coach Michael Malone, who criticized several of his players for being soft in Game 4. No one seemed to get the message more than Michael Porter Jr., who bounced back from a three-point, five-rebound showing to score 26 points and secure 12 rebounds on Tuesday.

Monte Morris added 28 points in 41 minutes off the bench, providing Nikola Jokic with the type of support that Lillard didn’t get from his Blazers teammates. Jokic paced the Nuggets with 38 points, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists, and is averaging 32.4 points and 11.0 rebounds in the series.

Portland News & Notes

It’s Dame Time again in Portland after Lillard lit up the Nuggets for 55 points in Game 5, highlighted by 12 threes, an NBA playoff record. The diminutive guard put Portland’s offense on his back in overtime, scoring 17 of the Blazers’ 19 points after regulation, although he may have run out of gas down the stretch.

Lillard didn’t attempt a shot in the final 3:02 of the second overtime session Tuesday and was held scoreless for nearly four minutes at the end of the contest.

“It’s a shame we wasted one of the best performances you’ll probably see in the playoffs,” CJ McCollum, whose turnover with 9.1 seconds left ended the Blazers’ hopes, told the Portland Oregonian. “Me specifically, I have to be a lot better for this team and for him, and I will be.”

Fortunately for Lillard and the Blazers, his teammates have shown they’re capable of stepping up around him. Portland won Game 4 by 20 points even though Lillard shot just 1-for-10 from the field for 10 points. Norman Powell and McCollum combined for 50 points in 68 minutes in that contest, compared to just 31 in 100 minutes in Game 5.

Betting Pick: Trail Blazers -5

Look for Lillard to get the help he needs as Portland forces a seventh game with a decisive victory.