Portland’s two-game winning streak came to an end in Game 4 on Saturday night. The Blazers will need to find a way to stop the momentum of the explosive Denver Nuggets if they want to avoid elimination. The Blazers will look to get back on track tonight in Game 5, and here are three bold predictions that I’ll make: 1. The Blazers will score less than 90 points. 2. The Blazers will win the turnover battle. 3. Damian Lillard will shoot better than 50% from the floor.
The Blazers-Nuggets series is back on the schedule. And it will be in Portland for Game 5 on Saturday night. The Blazers dropped the first two games at home but won two on the road. So the Blazers have the chance to take the next step in this series. Once again, they have to win their home game, but they also have to win at least one game on the road. Here are three bold predictions for the Blazers-Nuggets matchup:
LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard are tired of losing. The Blazers have been outscored by a whopping 28 points over the past two games after losing Game 2 by 17 points. The Nuggets jumped out to a 20 point lead early in Game 5 and never looked back. Will Portland be able to break through on the road and take the series back to Portland? Will Denver be able to keep up with the Blazers?
The first round game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets was an impressive series. With the score tied at 2-2, game five will be crucial to see which team can take the 3-2 lead. With home field advantage in their next game, the Nuggets should take advantage of it for their fans to turn the odds in their favor.
The Blazers opened the series with a dominant 123-109 win in the first game. They got a great performance from the role players: Jusuf Nurkic, Anferni Simons and Carmelo Anthony to win the game.
Denver eventually answered with dominant wins in games two and three to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Nikola Jokic, the favorite for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, scored more than 30 points in those two wins. While the Nuggets gained momentum in Game 4, Portland put its foot on the gas Saturday with a monster routine. Despite Damian Lillard shooting just 1-of-10 from the field, the Blazers got strong performances from Norman Powell and C.J. McCollum.
Monday night is the fifth game, and both teams will need a good game. It’s safe to say that whoever has the upper hand in this game has a better chance of winning the series. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some bold predictions about what could happen in Game 5 between the Blazers and the Nuggets in Denver.
1. Damian Lillard will be on
Don’t expect Lillard to take a cold shot like he did in Game 4. The Blazers’ star has played a big role in crucial playoff games. In the first two games against Denver, Lillard led Portland with 34 points and made 42 bigs.
If Lillard sets the tone for his team, the rest of the Blazers’ players will follow suit. The team understood that they did not need another first round away game like last season. To advance in this series, Lillard will need a monster game to lead his team to victory against the Nuggets.
2. Nikola Jokic will have a dominant triple-double
The wild card should get a foot in the door in this Game 5. If the Nuggets want to take control of this series, it’s important that he plays one of the best playoff games of his career. Like Lillard, Jokic should continue to be the driving force behind this team. His ability to lead on and off the field will be crucial in Monday night’s game.
It’s not just Jokic’s points that will help get the job done. His ability to break boards and make decisions will also be a major factor in Denver’s victory. The Nuggets have a lot of firepower and need to make the most of it. Jokic is showing his versatility on the pitch and his ability to influence the game at different levels will be a deciding factor in the match.
3. The second option would be good for both teams
Both stars, Lillard and Jokic, will require a lot of effort from their reserve partners. For Denver, that man is Michael Porter, Jr. Porter scored just three points in the loss against the Nuggets in Game 4. With Game 5 coming up, it will be a challenge for him to come back and be an offensive force.
Lillard will continue to rely on partner C.J. McCollum to remain Portland’s go-to scorer. After four games, McCollum is scoring 21.3 points per game. If the Blazers want to win, he needs to win and score 30 or more points. These are moments that McCollum has shown in the past. When everything was on the line for his team, he proved to be the second option.
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