The Portland Trail Blazers are wrapping up their lengthy highway journey with a visit to face off with the Denver Nuggets. Portland is coming into this sport with three straight wins on this highway stretch in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Minnesota Timberwolves to search out themselves tied for the eighth seed within the Western Conference playoff race.
Denver gained their final contest at residence in opposition to the Toronto Raptors, however at present sit fifth within the Western Conference, simply exterior of a house courtroom benefit spot within the playoffs.
Portland Trail Blazers (35-36) at Denver Nuggets (43-28) Sunday, Mar. 22 – 2pm Pacific
How to stream: BlazerVision in Oregon and Washington; League Pass all over the place else
Trail Blazers Injuries: Jerami Grant, Vit Krejci (Questionable); Damian Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe (Out)
Nuggets accidents: Peyton Watson (Questionable)
Efficiency vs Second Chances: The Nuggets are the perfect offense within the league. They lead the league in factors per sport (120.7 factors), offensive score (122.3), and three-point proportion (39.2%) and are second in general discipline aim proportion (49.3%). The Blazers sit utterly reverse of that coin, boasting twenty ninth within the league marks from the sphere and from deep at 45.1% and 33.8% respectively. However, the place Portland makes up for these horrible percentages is with their 14.2 offensive rebounds per sport, good for second within the NBA. If the Blazers are capable of make up that hole with second likelihood factors, it might preserve them within the sport via an excellent Nuggets capturing efficiency. However, if that benefit is mitigated, it might take Portland out of the sport earlier than it begins.
The Nikola Jokic Effect: Jokic is clearly an unbelievable participant, and he has confirmed time and time once more to be able to successful a sport nearly on his personal. The principal focus needs to be attempting to restrict his impression as a lot as attainable. That could also be a idiot’s errand, but when the Blazers can decelerate even one side of his offensive sport, it might give them the window they should sneak away with a win.
Their file since Jokić’s return is a bit deceiving since they’ve an satisfactory internet score of plus-3.8 factors per 100 possessions over these video games, not counting the Raptors sport. They have misplaced 5 one-possession video games in that span, plus one other one in extra time. That in itself is bizarre, given Jokić’s presence normally ensures excellent clutch play.
Jokić has turned the ball over 4.5 instances per sport since his return. He averaged 3.5 in his first 32. Adelman mentioned groups have been placing wings on Jokić extra typically than huge males, with Jokić unable to convey the ball up the ground as typically and forcing the Nuggets to attempt to get him the ball in tight areas. To that time, the Raptors put All-Star ahead Scottie Barnes on Jokić to begin the sport. There was some proof of the Nuggets forcing the ball to Jokić, though he had simply two turnovers.
