San Antonio Spurs at Portland Blazers NBA Picks & Predictions 10/20/2018

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Moda Center

Get todays NBA odds and lines on this game.

The San Antonio Spurs travel to Moda Center to play the Portland Blazers on Saturday, October 20, 2018. The opening line for this matchup has Portland as 4 point favorites.

The Spurs head into this matchup with a mark of 1-0. They are 2nd in the Southwest Division. They have a point differential of 4 as they average 112 points per contest while giving up 108 per game. The Blazers have an overall record of 1-0 this season. They are 2nd in the Northwest Division. They average 128 points per game and surrender 119, good for a point differential of 9.

Valuable San Antonio Spurs Betting Trends

The San Antonio Spurs are 1-0-0 against the spread

The San Antonio Spurs are 1-0-0 against the over/under

Important Portland Blazers Betting Trends

The Portland Blazers are 1-0-0 against the spread

The Portland Blazers are 1-0-0 against the over/under

Key San Antonio Spurs Injuries

10/08/18 G Dejounte Murray ACL is out indefinitely

Key Portland Blazers Injuries

No key injuries to report

Player Spotlight

DeMar DeRozan comes into this contest averaging 28 points per game while playing 38 minutes per night this season. He pulls down 4 rebounds per game and dishes out 4 assists per game as well. His field goal percentage is 48% while his free throw percentage currently sits at 64%. LaMarcus Aldridge averages 21 points per game in 42 minutes per contest this season. He averages 2 assists per contest and 19 rebounds per game. His field goal percentage is 30% for the year while his free throw percentage is 70%.

Player Spotlight

Damian Lillard averages 28 points per game while playing 35 minutes per contest this year. He grabs 6 rebounds per game and has 4 assists per contest on the year. His field goal percentage is 43% and his free throw percentage is at 100%. CJ McCollum averages 21 points per game this season and he sees the court an average of 31 minutes per contest. He also averages 5 rebounds per contest and 1 assist per game. His field goal percentage is 35% and his free throw percentage is 100%.

Useful Team Statistics

San Antonio averages 112 points per contest this season, which ranks them 13th in the NBA. Their average scoring margin is 4 and their shooting percentage is 43% as a team, which has them ranked 20th. Behind the arc they shoot 44% which is good for 3rd in the league. They average 52 rebounds per game and 22 assists per game, which ranks them 9th and 11th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they rank 20th with 12 per game. The Spurs allow 108 points per game to their opponents which ranks them 14th in the league. They also allow a 43% shooting percentage and a 32% average from behind the arc, ranking them 11th and 13th in those defensive categories. Opponents average 46 rebounds a game which ranks 14th and they give up 20 assists per contest, which puts them in 8th place in the league. They force 11 turnovers per game which ranks them 8th in the league.

Useful Team Statistics

Portland is 2nd in the league with 128 points per game this year. They are 15th in the league in shooting at 44%, while their average scoring margin is 9. They shoot 35% from 3-point range, which is good for 12th in the NBA. They are 7th in the league in rebounding with 54 boards per game, and 18th in assists per contest with 21. The Blazers are 9th in turnovers per game with 16. The Blazers surrender 119 points per contest, which ranks them 24th in the NBA. Their defense allows a 48% shooting percentage and a 23% average from 3-point range, ranking them 22nd and 3rd in those defensive statistics. They rank 20th with 23 assists allowed per contest and 15th with 46 rebounds surrendered per game. The Blazers are 19th in the NBA in forcing turnovers with 15 per game.

Advanced Statistics

The Spurs are 4th in the league in defensive rating with 112.7, and their offensive rating of 116.8 is ranked 22nd. They are 25th in the NBA in pace with 95.8 possessions per 48 minutes, and their eFG% of 49% is 18th. As a unit they are 16th in the league in true shooting percentage with 53% and they shoot 3-pointers on 27% of their shot attempts, ranking 24th in the NBA. San Antonio is 19th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 10.2 times per 100 possessions while forcing 9.7 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 46%, which is 21st in the NBA.

Advanced Statistics

Portland is 11th in the NBA in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 12.4 times per 100 possessions while forcing 12.4 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 52%, which is 10th in the league. The Blazers are 6th in the NBA in offensive rating with 115.1, and their defensive rating of 107 is ranked 13th. In terms of pace they are 3rd in the league with 111.3 possessions per 48 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 51% is 15th. As a team they are 8th in the NBA in true shooting percentage with 57% and they shoot 3-pointers on 37% of their shots, ranking 9th in the league.

Who will win tonight's NBA game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take Portland -4

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Read more articles by Josh Schonwald