By: LT Profits Sports Group
NBA Pick: Blazers +4½ (-105)
The Portland Trail Blazers have been very impressive in the early going with all five starters averaging double-digits in scoring, and that balance makes them attractive underdogs when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
The underdog should prove tough and even has a chance at an upset Monday night when the well-balanced Portland Trail Blazers (2-1, 1-1 away) pay a visit to the Dallas Mavericks (2-1, 1-0 home) at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX at 8:35 ET.
The point spread at 5 Dimes has Portland as a decided underdog for this contest with a current line of +4½ at odd of -105.
While many people think that it is a foregone conclusion that the Oklahoma City Thunder will win the Northwest Division this season and many see the Denver Nuggets as the primary challengers, thePortland Trail Blazers look like a dark horse to be reckoned with if they can stay healthy all year, which admittedly has been a problem in recent seasons.
The Blazer went to 2-1 while handing James Harden and the Houston Rockets their first loss of the season 95-85 on Saturday, but what is most impressive about Portland is its offensive balance as all five starters are capable of scoring, making the Blazers extremely difficult to defend.
The biggest story in Portland right now is rookie point guard Damian Lillard, who made an immediate impact in his NBA debut vs. the Los Angeles Lakers by joining Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas as the only players record 20 points and 10 assists in their first ever NBA game. Well, Lillard has continued to impress since, as he is now the second NBA rookie besides Robertson to get at least 20 points and seven assists in his first three career games.
Young Lillard and seventh-year veteran LaMarcus Aldridge have been the team leaders, with Aldridge filling up the stat sheet by averaging 22.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Lillard and Aldridge give the Blazers a very good inside-outside game, but what has been perhaps most impressive about Portland is that all five starters are averaging double-digits in scoring, making this a nightmarish team to match up with.
Now the Mavericks are also 2-1 and they playing without Dirk Nowitzki, who will remain out for a good while as he recovers from knee surgery. Dallas as been led by its two newcomers in the backcourt, as O.J. Mayo is averaging 18.0 points while shooting a blistering 63.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc through three games and Darren Collison is averaging 17.3 points and 7.0 assists.
However, the Mavs have gotten nothing out of the frontcourt without Nowitzki, with Shawn Marion averaging 8.0 points and Elton Brand averaging 5.0, so this is a team that needs to make its perimeter shots to win. Dallas blew out the lowly Charlotte Bobcats 126-99 on Saturday while shooting a sensational 61.3 percent for the game including hitting on 16-of-25 three pointers, and that was after shooting 37.6 percent in their only loss vs. the Utah Jazz the prior game.
They do not figure to shoot 61.3 percent again tonight vs. a Portland team limiting opponents to 44.7 percent shooting and the Blazers have most of the matchup advantages here with their diversified scoring.
With all of this in mind, we with grab the points with Portland in a possible upset on Monday.
The point spread at 5 Dimes has Portland as a decided underdog for this contest with a current line of +4½ at odd of -105.
While many people think that it is a foregone conclusion that the Oklahoma City Thunder will win the Northwest Division this season and many see the Denver Nuggets as the primary challengers, thePortland Trail Blazers look like a dark horse to be reckoned with if they can stay healthy all year, which admittedly has been a problem in recent seasons.The Blazer went to 2-1 while handing James Harden and the Houston Rockets their first loss of the season 95-85 on Saturday, but what is most impressive about Portland is its offensive balance as all five starters are capable of scoring, making the Blazers extremely difficult to defend.
The biggest story in Portland right now is rookie point guard Damian Lillard, who made an immediate impact in his NBA debut vs. the Los Angeles Lakers by joining Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas as the only players record 20 points and 10 assists in their first ever NBA game. Well, Lillard has continued to impress since, as he is now the second NBA rookie besides Robertson to get at least 20 points and seven assists in his first three career games.
Young Lillard and seventh-year veteran LaMarcus Aldridge have been the team leaders, with Aldridge filling up the stat sheet by averaging 22.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Lillard and Aldridge give the Blazers a very good inside-outside game, but what has been perhaps most impressive about Portland is that all five starters are averaging double-digits in scoring, making this a nightmarish team to match up with.
Now the Mavericks are also 2-1 and they playing without Dirk Nowitzki, who will remain out for a good while as he recovers from knee surgery. Dallas as been led by its two newcomers in the backcourt, as O.J. Mayo is averaging 18.0 points while shooting a blistering 63.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc through three games and Darren Collison is averaging 17.3 points and 7.0 assists.
However, the Mavs have gotten nothing out of the frontcourt without Nowitzki, with Shawn Marion averaging 8.0 points and Elton Brand averaging 5.0, so this is a team that needs to make its perimeter shots to win. Dallas blew out the lowly Charlotte Bobcats 126-99 on Saturday while shooting a sensational 61.3 percent for the game including hitting on 16-of-25 three pointers, and that was after shooting 37.6 percent in their only loss vs. the Utah Jazz the prior game.
They do not figure to shoot 61.3 percent again tonight vs. a Portland team limiting opponents to 44.7 percent shooting and the Blazers have most of the matchup advantages here with their diversified scoring.
With all of this in mind, we with grab the points with Portland in a possible upset on Monday.
NBA Pick: Blazers +4½ (-105)
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