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NBA Betting Insights Friday 21st March
Furthermore, Denver excels in transition offense, ranking first in fast-break points per game. This could pose challenges for Portland, which ranks among the bottom three teams in defending fast breaks. The Nuggets' ability to maintain a high pace may exploit this defensive vulnerability.
by Malachi
DENVER NUGGETS @ PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Player News
Out: N. Jokic, D. Ayton, J. Walker, R. Williams
Questionable: D. Clingan, J. Murray
Market
Opening: -1.5 DEN / 227
Current: -1.5 POR / 227.5
Recent Form
DEN L10: 5-5 SU / 2-8 ATS / 5-5 OU
POR L10: 4-6 SU / 6-4 ATS / 3-7 OU
Trends
DEN: 19-6 SU after a loss / 8-6 ATS as away underdog
POR: 20-9-1 ATS after a win / 2-4 ATS as home favourite
Analysis
The Denver Nuggets journey to Portland to face the Trail Blazers, aiming to rebound from a recent defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets have alternated between victories and losses over their past eight games, suggesting a potential rebound in this matchup. Conversely, the Trail Blazers are riding a three-game winning streak, highlighted by an impressive underdog triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies, during which they shot 39.1% from three-point range, converting 18 of 46 attempts.
The Nuggets have demonstrated resilience following losses this season, boasting a 19-6 record in such scenarios. They lead the league in points scored in the paint per game while the Blazers are 11th in paint defense. For the Nuggets, this is a strength that could be magnified if Clingan is absent, given the potential size disadvantage for the Trail Blazers.
Furthermore, Denver excels in transition offense, ranking first in fast-break points per game. This could pose challenges for Portland, which ranks among the bottom three teams in defending fast breaks. The Nuggets' ability to maintain a high pace may exploit this defensive vulnerability.
Rebounding presents another area where Denver holds an advantage. The Nuggets rank third in defensive rebounds and eleventh in offensive rebounds per game. In contrast, the Trail Blazers allow offensive rebounds at the fourth-highest rate in the league, averaging 11.7 opponent offensive rebounds per game.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES @ LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Player News
Out: J. Morant, B. Clarke, J. Miller
Questionable: D. Bane
Market
Opening: -5.5 LAC / 229.5
Current: -7 LAC / 230
Recent Form
MEM L10: 5-5 SU / 2-8 ATS / 3-7 OU
LAC L10: 7-3 SU / 6-4 ATS / 6-4 OU
Trends
MEM: 16-10 ATS after a loss / 18-15-1 ATS on the road
LAC: 16-6 ATS as home favourite / 22-16 ATS after a win
Analysis
The Memphis Grizzlies embark on the third game of their road trip, seeking to rebound from consecutive defeats to the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers. In contrast, the Los Angeles Clippers are riding a four-game winning streak, highlighted by a remarkable 132-119 comeback victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Clippers have secured a 2-0 lead in the season series against the Grizzlies, with this matchup marking their final regular-season encounter. Notably, in their previous meeting, the Clippers triumphed 128-114, capitalizing on a dominant third quarter. It's important to consider that the Grizzlies were without star guard Ja Morant during that game and were on the second night of a back-to-back, factors that likely contributed to their performance.
In that contest, the Clippers outscored the Grizzlies 58-44 in the paint, an area where Memphis typically excels, allowing just 47.8 paint points per game this season. With the presence of defensive stalwarts like Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies possess the size and length to effectively contest interior scoring. On the other side, the Grizzlies rank 2nd in points scored in the paint on offense, so this disparity is expected to level out to the means.
The Grizzlies are known for their up-tempo style, ranking first in pace on the season and seventh in fast-break points per game. This approach could exploit a potential vulnerability in the Clippers' transition defense, which allows an average of 15.4 points per game in such situations. The Clippers are 22nd in pace on the season, so the tempo is expected to be dictated by the Grizzlies tonight.