Indiana Pacers vs Portland Trail Blazers Point Spread Picks

Portland rolls into the Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a day of rest following its 114-95 win at Brooklyn on Monday night. Under normal circumstances, this might be considered a gruelling trip for a West Coast team on the bubble, but the Nets and Pacers are frontrunners for this year's "Top Tankers" award. The Blazers have difficult tests at Minnesota and at Denver up next, but they can't afford to look past this contest. Indiana has lost 14-straight since the All-Star break, going 1-13 ATS. They're allowing 126.2 PPG and getting outscored by almost 15 points per game. Of the 14 losses, 10 were by double-digits. Portland has increased its first-half tempo over the past few weeks, and it buried the Pacers 131-111 just ten days ago. The Blazers have covered nine road games in a row vs. the Central, and thrived in a 3-in-4, going 31-9 ATS. Lay the points with Portland. 

Both teams had to play last night. Indiana is the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference and has winning records both home and away. The offense is ninth in the NBA in scoring, fourth in field goal shooting, and ninth from long range, while the defense is ninth at defending beyond the arc. The Pacers are on a 12-2 SU, 10-4 ATS run. Portland is the third-worst team in the Western Conference. The offense is 26th in scoring, 23rd in shooting, 27th from area code three, and 24th from the free-throw line, while the defense is 20th in points surrendered, 23rd in shooting allowed, and 23rd at defending the 3-pointer. Play Indiana.

Portland is 10-7-1 ATS while the Pacers are the opposite at 7-10-1 ATS and surprisingly both have similar won-loss records although the Trail Blazers are getting double digits in tonight's game. The Blazers have won and covered three of the past four meetings and they have won four of their past seven games following a terrible start to the season even while dealing with injuries. Indiana has lost six of eight before winning two against Washington and New Orleans, but the Pacers are just 2-7-1 ATS their past 10 games, 0-5-1 ATS against teams with losing records. Portland is 14-5 ATS the past 19 meetings and it has won 15 of 20 outright against the Pacers. The big point spread looms large in this matchup. Take the points with the Trail Blazers.

The Indiana Pacers have one goal in mind. They are going to push the ball and take the first decent look they get, and out-score their opponent. They have had success with this formula as they are averaging over 125ppg. The problem is the defense doesn't exist as they are allowing better than 123ppg on the other end. Indiana dropped their game at home vs. Portland as a 12 point favorite. Portland is improving slowly, and they have snuck up on the betting public as they are now 5-0 ATS in their last five games as a home dog, and have three outright wins to show for it. I like Portland in this one.