The Thunder were trounced 114-94 by the red-hot Blazers to fall behind 2-0 in the series – and they’ll need to fix their ailing defence if they have any hope of climbing back into the best-of-seven set.

NBA Playoffs Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Thunder come into this one as comfortable favourites despite averaging just 96.5 points in the first two games of the series while scoring fewer than 100 points in consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 7-10 of last year. Oklahoma City has been an unreliable cover option for a while now, having gone just 9-19 ATS in its previous 28 games and a downright dreadful 4-15 in its last 19 games vs. Western Conference opponents.

More than two-thirds of Sports Interaction bettors are taking the Trail Blazers and the points, while 62 percent of participants are leaning toward the over. That runs counter to the prevailing trends both teams are carrying into Game 3. The Trail Blazers are 6-2-1 to the under in their past nine games away from Moda Center, while the Thunder have gone below the number in five of their previous six against West foes.

Portland Trail Blazers

Neither team shot all that well in Portland’s Game 1 victory – but while the Thunder’s cold streak continued two nights later, the Trail Blazers were much better with the basketball. Portland shot just shy of 47 percent from the field and over 40 percent from 3-point range while committing just 12 turnovers; the sensational backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum put up 62 combined points while shooting better than 50 percent from the floor.

Oklahoma City Thunder

George was certainly better in Game 2 – he shot 11-of-20 for 27 points – but he didn’t get much help. Russell Westbrook made just five of his 20 field-goal attempts for a paltry 14 points, while the Thunder as a team shot an abysmal 5-of-28 from deep – putting its long-range success rate at an unfathomable 10-for-61. Oklahoma City also struggled from the free-throw line in the Game 2 setback, making just 19 of 28 shots.

TRAIL BLAZERS

Away

108

THUNDER

Home

105

Score
Predictions

Matchup