Tip off: 8:35 PM EST
Spread: SAS -1
Total: 194.5
M/L: SAS -120, POR – EV
It would be hard to call a team as good as the 7-3 Blazers a surprise. Perhaps “forgotten about” sums it up quite nicely. Despite having lost two of their three franchise cornerstones in Brandon Roy and Greg Oden, the Blazers have moved forward on the shoulders of Olympic team invitee LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is besting last season’s career high by nearly half a point and is playing 36 minutes a night, which is actually a decrease from last season, something we’ll see more in this condensed schedule as teams try to not to exhaust their workhorses early.
Aldridge is receiving big contributions from a host of teammates. Five other Portland players average double figures: Wesley Matthews (16.0), Gerald Wallace (15.5), Jamal Crawford (13.5), Raymond Felton (10.7), and Nicolas Batum (10.6).
The Blazers are scoring 100.1 points per game and giving up only 95.0, and their offensive production ranks fourth in the league.
The Spurs suffered a huge loss when Manu Ginobili went down injured, but have remained relevant in the rugged West, by going 7-4 through their first 11 games, and putting themselves atop the Southwest division. They ended a two game skid Wednesday night against the Rockets, as they won by 6 points at home. Tony Parker had his best game of the season, attempting 22 shots and hitting 12 of them, en route to 28 points. Tim Duncan chipped in 17 and 11, and the Spurs received 27 points off the bench compared to Houston’s 21.
The Spurs have five players averaging double figures, if you remove Ginobili from the equation. Gary Neal (10.7), DeJuan Blair (10.9), Tim Duncan (12.3), Richard Jefferson (13.5) and Tony Parker (15.6) comprise most of the Spurs scoring, though Kawhi Leonard (7.6 ppg) is sure to increase his scoring average with the increase in playing time he has seen. Leonard, a 6’7″ small forward from San Diego State, was selected 15th overall in the NBA Draft, and he has scored in double figures in all three of the last three San Antonio games. He scored his season high of 19 on 9 of 12 shooting Tuesday night against the Bucks.
Trail Blazers Betting Trends:
Portland is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games and the total has gone UNDER In 7 of their last 8 on the road. The Blazers are 1-6 SU in their last 7 road games and they are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 on the road.
Spurs Betting Trends:
San Antonio is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games and the total has gone OVER in 5 of the Spurs’ last 7 games. The Spurs are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games and they are 8-15-1 ATS in their last 24 games at home.
Key Matchup:
LaMarcus Aldridge vs Tim Duncan
This is the story of one player on his ascent towards greatness and another on the decline. Aldridge is putting up a career high; Duncan, a career low. It’s been probable for quite some time that we end up seeing Duncan averaging less than the teens in points, but to see his numbers actually reading 12 points per game is kind of disconcerting in an odd way. Still, if there is anyone capable of guarding Aldridge in the Western Conference, Duncan may be that man. Though Aldridge has a bit of length on Duncan, Duncan should be able to keep a hand in his face and prevent him from getting a lot of offensive rebounds, though Aldridge is not getting as many offensive rebounds as last year when he averaged 3.4 of his 8.8 rebounds on the offensive end.
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