Trail Blazers vs. Spurs, 9:00 ET
The NBA split the East and West series between both of those weekend days, with two of each series going on both days. Yesterday was apparently the “good series” day as the NBA had four games that started with spreads all at -8.5 points or lower. Today there are three different games that all have spreads of -10.5 or higher, including this one between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs.
The Trail Blazers beat the Suns (who then beat the Warriors) to get into the postseason. Their reward was facing the Spurs, but even if they made it as an eight seed, they had to face the Thunder. Portland has to feel happy to some degree just to be here. I’m not saying this team has no talent. I actually like the Portland list. I’ve been campaigning for months on Deni Avdjia as the most improved player in the NBA. I wouldn’t call him a superstar, but he certainly looks like a big European player. Jermi Grant is the ideal role player for a team. Donovan Clingan is a solid center that made losing DeAndre Ayton much easier to manage. And Jrue Holliday is a veteran leader, excellent glue guy and still one of the better defenders in the league. There’s a lot to like about Portland; the problem is they just aren’t nearly as good as the Spurs.
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 4: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives to the basket during the game against the Chicago Bulls on April 4, 2025 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
While the Trail Blazers are made up of a lot of good pieces, it is Spurs is centered around the most exciting player in the entire league. Victor Wembanyama could go down as an all-time great if his body keeps up and he maintains his game for another decade plus. He is one of the true unicorns the league has ever seen. This was a year where everyone expected the Spurs to make the playoffs, but almost universally they were picked to be a Play-In team. Instead, they had the second-best record in the West, winning 62 games, and the Spurs now look set for another decade of excellence under Wemby and company. However, there are some other pieces worth looking at. De’Aaron Fox is typically a clutch guy, and still one of the faster players in the league with the ball. The role players are a mix of good young talent and veteran leaders who have all played in big games before.
In the regular season, the Spurs and Trail Blazers played each other three times. In the first game, the Spurs won by 13 in Portland. The next meeting, the Trail Blazers got the best of the Spurs, winning by five in San Antonio. In the third and final meeting of the season, the Spurs won by 11. Coming out with a spread of -10.5 in favor of the Spurs makes a lot of sense. This will be the first playoff game for many players on both sides of the floor. I expect there to be some nerves, so I’m going under. None of the regular games were that high, with the highest total being 225. I’ll take under 221.5.
For more information on sports betting and gambling, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
Leave a Reply