The Blazers are short home favorites over the Pacers on Sunday night as Damian Lillard looks to keep piling up points in Portland.
We build the blueprint for betting this marquee matchup on the NBA basketball odds board, from our favorite bets for the side and total to some quick-paying picks and prop plays.
INDIANA PACERS AT PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (-2, 220)
QUICK HITTER
The Pacers wrap up a five-game road trip on Sunday night in Portland against the Blazers. Indiana is coming off a 129-118 win over Golden State on Friday and is 3-1 so far during their trip. The Pacers are 8-2 over their last 10 games and have climbed to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Portland has dropped three of its last four after a 133-125 loss to the Mavericks on Thursday. Damian Lillard has been carrying the Blazers offense with a whopping 108 points and 19 3-pointers over the last two games. C.J. McCollum has missed the last three games with an injured ankle but is expected to play on Sunday.
The Under is 27-19 in the first quarter of Indiana games this season as the Pacers have stayed true to their name, playing at one of the league’s slowest paces. Both teams are coming off strong offensive performances, which means this first-quarter total is inflated.
Prediction: First Quarter Under 56
FIRST HALF BET
Indiana exploded for 67 points in the opening half against the Warriors on Friday as their offensive resurgence continued. T.J. Warren scored 21 of his 33 points in the first half as Indiana improved to 10-14 ATS on the road this season, compared to 15-7 at home.
The Blazers have struggled mightily in the first half this season, going 17-29 ATS overall and 8-13 at home. Trevor Ariza scored a season-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting on Friday in his first game for Portland since being acquired in a trade with Sacramento.
Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon will likely miss his second straight game with a concussion. Despite allowing 67.8 points in the first half over the last four games, Portland has the edge at home.
Prediction: First Half Blazers -1
TEAM/PLAYER PROP
Domontas Sabonis is no stranger to the Pacific Northwest and is the son of former Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis. Domontas has elevated his game across all statistical categories this season, but his jump from 2.9 to 4.4 assists per game has been the biggest boost to Indiana’s offense.
Sabonis is also averaging a double-double this season (17.9 ppg, 12.8 rpg) and currently ranks fifth in the league in rebounding. It’s hard to choose just one category for the versatile forward, which is why we are casting a wide net with this player prop.
Prediction: Domontas Sabonis Total Points, Rebounds, and Assists Over 36.5
TOTAL BET
There have been a plethora of points scored at the Moda Center, as the Over is 13-8 in Portland's home games this season. Both teams in this matchup are ranked inside the Top-10 in 3-point shooting. The Blazers made 21 long-range bombs, while allowing 22 in Friday’s loss against Dallas.
The Over is 4-0 in the last four games for Portland as the Blazers continue to be gashed on the defensive end. This game is a good bet to fly over the total with both teams shooting well of late.
Prediction: Over 220
SPREAD BET
Portland has owned this matchup over the past decade and has won 10 in a row at home against Indiana, a streak that dates back to the 2007-08 season. This game is a reunion for Nate McMillan, who served as Blazers head coach for six-plus seasons from 2005-12, compiling a record of 266-269.
While McMillan and the Pacers have posted a 17-5 record at home this season, they are just 13-11 on the road.
Damian Lillard averaged 23.0 points and 8.5 assists in two games against the Pacers last season and has scored at least 25 points in six of his last eight outings against Indiana, including three games of 30-plus points. Lillard stays hot and Portland gets a much-needed home win over a good team.
Prediction: Blazers -2
