NBA Betting Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trailblazers

Added on Mar 25, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

NBA

NBA action tonight in the Pacific Northwest as the San Antonio Spurs take their league best record into the Rose Garden Arena to take on the Portland Trailblazers. Blazers have continued to hang tough in the Western Conference despite a variety of injuries this season.

San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trailblazers
March 25, 2011 7:05 PM Pacific

In terms of performance against the NBA betting pointspread, this should be a clear cut play on the Spurs. San Antonio is 40-29 ATS overall, 23-11 ATS on the road and are coming off a loss to the Blazers in the previous meeting which is significant since they’re also 10-2 ATS in revenge spots. The Blazers have a winning SU record at home and are 20-14 ATS at the Rose Garden, but in most situational breakdowns are breakeven at best.

Of course ATS performance is only one part of the handicapping equation. Spurs will be without Tim Duncan here and they may be near the point where they’ll be looking to rest other starters. They’re a veteran team, bordering on an *old* team and this is likely going to be their last, best shot for another title. San Antonio has a 6 game lead on the second place Lakers in the conference, while Portland is in a position to possibly catch Denver for 5th place. This is a game that Portland simply needs more than San Antonio. Despite all of the Spurs’ success in recent years–including this season–the Blazers have dominated in head to head play. Since 2008, Portland is 7-2 SU/ATS against San Antonio and have won and covered 5 straight at home. Given the injuries that have plagued the Blazers’ team over the last few years we’re thinking this is just a bad matchup for San Antonio–possibly a case where their veteran players are simply overwhelmed by Portland’s youth and athleticism. It won’t be any easier with Tim Duncan on the sidelines and with the Blazers’ as healthy as they’ve been in quite some time. We respect the professionalism of the Spurs and can see that they’re tempting as a +4 underdog but in this situation the right play looks to be laying the number with the Blazers.

Bet Portland Trailblazers -4 over San Antonio Spurs