Admittedly laying double digits isn't a bet I normally make but there are too many reasons Denver wins this by plenty. Both Lillard and McCollum are out, we know that. That's their two leading scorers and 2 points per game. But now, The Blazers will be without Simmons and Powell, and possibly Cody Zeller. Powell is their third leading scorer and Simmons is their fourth leading scorer. That's 33 more points they're without. That leaves Nurkic and his 14 PPG as their top scorer. On the injury side for Denver, Will Barton has been upgraded to probable and even if he's out it won't matter.  Denver has the third highest two-point shooting percentage and on the season (including healthy) Portland has one of the worst interior defenses in the NBA. Portland is just 2-13 on the road, so this isn't a matter of who's going to win, it's by how many. If Portland is that short handed, it shouldn't be an issue, but add in the altitude in Denver to magnify that, and we should cash this ticket.

01/13/2022 8:19 AM