Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs Betting Preview Dec 2
Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs Predictions
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Tony Finn offers his Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs betting preview for Thursday, December 2. At the time of posting, the Trail Blazers have opened as a 4.5-point home favorite over the visiting Spurs, with the total sitting at 217.5 points.
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Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs Notes
- Portland Trail Blazers -4.5 vs San Antonio Spurs
- Total: 217.5 Points
- The Spurs have failed to cover the spread in their last four road games.
- The Trail Blazers are 6-1-1 against the spread in their last eight games as a favorite.
- Portland has covered the spread in five of the last six meetings between these teams.
The San Antonio Spurs begin a short three-game road trip in December and start the trek in Portland for a west coast contest against a short-handed Portland Trail Blazers squad on Thursday night.
The Spurs have yet to string three wins in succession together this 2021-22 National Basketball Association campaign. However, a game against the injured Trail Blazer team could offer them the edge to win their third straight tonight at the Moda Center.
The San Antonio Spurs (6-13, 12th in NBA – West) got a game and season-high 24-points from Derrick White on Monday night, and the Spurs defeated the Washington Wizards 116-99 to win consecutive games for the first time this season. One has to go back to April to find the last time San Antonio has won back-to-back games. Dejounte Murray added 22 points and ten rebounds in the victory.
“Derrick is back to being the Derrick White that we all remember, and that’s been a big plus for us, so there’s a lot of good things out on the court,” Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said in the post-game presser.
“We did well, we played hard, so we’re thrilled with the victory,” “I’m happy that so many people were able to participate,” Popovich added.
The Trail Blazers (11-11, 10th in NBA – West) host San Antonio with their streak on the line. Portland aims to extend its 10-game home court run of success. Veteran Ben McLemore received unexpected and extended playing time for the Trail Blazers in the team’s Monday 110-92 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Portland scratched out a victory over Detroit despite playing without starters Damian Lillard (abdominal injury) and Norman Powell (quad). Also missing in action was key bench contributor Nassir Little (ankle).
With Portland missing several key pieces to their rotations, another big game from the former-Kansas Jayhawk, McLemore, would go a long way in continuing the Blazers’ winning ways at home.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are 1-10 in conference play. Murray is averaging 19.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and two steals for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson has been averaging 14.4 points and seven rebounds over the past ten games for San Antonio.
San Antonio is just 3-7 in the last ten games but has been getting productive minutes from Jakob Poeltl (14 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Washington), with Keldon Johnson knocking down contested jumpers for 13 points.
Bryn Forbes and Thaddeus Young both reached double-figure points in the win over the Wiz. The Spurs have been competitive this season when the team is defensively cohesive. San Antonio is 5-1 this season when holding their opponents to less than 100 points.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers are 6-8 in conference play. Portland ranks sixth overall in the Association, averaging just over 110 points per game. Lillard is expected to miss four more games before being re-evaluated. Little’s ankle injury will keep him out through this weekend at a minimum. Powell was being called a game-time decision for the Spurs contest tonight, but the injury report lists him as out.
CJ McCollum is shooting just short of 40 percent from the 3-point line, while his backcourt partner Damian Lillard has struggled to find his typical range from distance this early 2021-22 season. Nevertheless, he is still contributing 23.6 points and 7.3 assists across the last ten games.
Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs Injury Report
San Antonio Spurs
Doug McDermott (knee) is listed as day today.
Zach Collins (ankle) is out.
Devin Vassell (quad) is listed as day today.
Portland Trail Blazers
Nassir Little (ankle) is questionable.
Norman Powell (quad) is out.
Damian Lillard (injury management) is out.
The Trail Blazers are a solid 10-1 at home, and first-year head coach Chauncey Billups is expected to continue to trust veteran reserves until the team is whole again. Look for McLemore to step up for a second straight game and the Blazers to win without Dame for a second straight game.
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Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs Analysis from The GoldSheet
Portland dealing with a manpower shortage, as G Damian Lillard will miss at least ten days with an abdominal injury, while F Norman Powell will miss his third-straight game with a quad issue. However, San Antonio has lost and failed to cover its last four road games, although the Spurs have just won two straight (vs. Boston and Washington, both played in San Antonio) for its first back-to-back wins of the season.
San Antonio is now 6-13 and ranks 22nd in offensive efficiency this season. Portland has been excellent offensively, but over the season ranks 28th on defense, and must play this game without Lillard and Powell. Over the last five games, the Spurs’ top two scorers have been Gs Dejounte Murray (as all season), who’s scoring 20 ppg in that period but shooting just 41% overall & 22% from long range, and Derrick White (14 ppg L5Gs, 39% FGs).
Odd juxtaposition sees San Antonio playing at the third quickest pace in the league, while Portland is 27th (only 97.7 possessions per game).
Thursday’s NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Click here to download Thursday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs contest.
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