Denver at Portland

This should be an interesting matchup as two teams on a big up-tick square off in Portland tonight. The Nuggets really came together as a team late in the season, closing out 14-3. They were amazing at home, but the losses piled up on the road. That will be an area of focus for this team this season and they will want to make a showing here in their first opportunity. Late in the season last year, the Nuggets were no easy out even on the road. Looking back at their playoff run a year ago, they were 3-4 against the NBA's best teams on the road, but a closer look becomes a bit more revealing. In the four losses, three came by just two points. Portland, despite a measured home-court advantage, could not get past Houston and bowed out in the first round. The Blazers proved tough at home a year ago with a 34-7 mark on their home court, but the Nuggets have now run to a 22-6 ATS mark vs. the West, and own an 11-5-1 ATS mark playing in Portland. Overall against the Blazers, the Nuggets are 24-10-1 ATS in the last 35 meetings. Denver's road woes usually surface more after multiple games on the road as they were 29-17 ATS last season coming off a home game. Under George Karl, Denver is 83-57 ATS off a home win. Yes, Portland should be favored here, but this is too many points to lay against a team that made it to the Western Conference Finals last season - a team that has improved with the addition of Ty Lawson. I like the Nuggs to keep it close.