Portland faces Denver, aims to end home slide

Sat, Mar 23, 2024
NBA News (AP)

Denver Nuggets (49-21, second in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (19-51, 14th in the Western Conference)

Portland, Oregon; Saturday, 10 p.m. EDT

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NBA LINE: Nuggets -14; over/under is 210.5

BOTTOM LINE: Portland looks to stop its three-game home skid with a victory against Denver.

The Trail Blazers are 1-14 against division opponents. Portland has a 5-32 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Nuggets have gone 27-15 against Western Conference opponents. Denver ranks second in the Western Conference allowing just 110.1 points while holding opponents to 46.5% shooting.

The Trail Blazers are shooting 44.3% from the field this season, 2.2 percentage points lower than the 46.5% the Nuggets allow to opponents. The Nuggets average 11.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Trail Blazers allow.

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Nuggets won the last matchup 127-112 on Feb. 24. Michael Porter Jr. scored 34 points to help lead the Nuggets to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jabari Walker is shooting 47.3% and averaging 8.5 points for the Trail Blazers. Anfernee Simons is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.

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Nikola Jokic is averaging 26.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and nine assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 22.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.6 steals over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 2-8, averaging 108.7 points, 42.3 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 7.2 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.4 points per game.

Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 116.3 points, 42.6 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 52.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points.

INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Deandre Ayton: out (elbow), Matisse Thybulle: out (ankle), Malcolm Brogdon: out (elbow), Jerami Grant: out (hamstring), Robert Williams III: out for season (knee), Shaedon Sharpe: out (abdominal).

Nuggets: Vlatko Cancar: out (knee), Zeke Nnaji: day to day (back).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.