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Andrew Rogers
Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers: Game 2 Prediction, NBA Playoff Odds
The Portland Trail Blazers have gone from a comfortable series favourite to slightly better than a coin flip – making Game 2 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night a must-win affair. The upstart Pelicans stunned host Portland 97-95 in Game 1 to earn at least a split of the first two games at Moda Center. But the Trail Blazers are a resilient bunch, and will look to improve their -133 overall series odds as a sizeable favourite in Game 2.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
It’s not ideal to drop the opener of a best-of-seven series at home, but Portland will look to bounce back – and has done so with emphasis of late, going 7-2 ATS in its last nine games after failing to cover in its previous game. The Blazers also have 19 covers in their previous 26 home games, and they’ve lost back-to-back games at Moda Center just once since the calendar flipped to 2018. The favourite has also covered in 10 of the last 14 meetings.
Game 1 went well below the total, suggesting that this series might be a lower-scoring affair than both fans and oddsmakers thought. Game 2 boasts a total of 214 – 2 ½ points lower than the opener – but both teams are slanted heavily toward the under heading into this NBA matchup. New Orleans has gone below the number in six of its previous eight road games, while Portland is 1-4 O/U in its last five overall and has gone below in four of its past five vs. West foes.
New Orleans Pelicans
As valuable as Anthony Davis is to the Pelicans’ prospects – and he was a force in Game 1, with 35 points and 14 rebounds – guard Rajon Rondo has proven to be equally vital. New Orleans has won 13 consecutive games in which Rondo has recorded 10 or more assists – including Saturday’s series opener, when Rondo racked up 14 helpers. Few teams are hotter than the Pelicans, who have covered the spread in six consecutive games.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers had many good looks in the opener but couldn’t convert them, shooting below 38 percent en route to their worst offensive showing since a March 23 loss to Houston. That loss extended Portland’s incredible string of futility in the first round of the postseason; it has covered just seven times in its previous 30 Western Conference quarterfinal games. On the plus side: Portland has been held below 100 points in back-to-back games just twice this season.
