Portland scored 103 points in each of its last two home games, and now a Thunder team riding four straight wins comes to town. The Blazers have a projected edge on the glass. The question is whether they can turn it into extra shots before Oklahoma City takes those chances away.
Where Portland can find extra shots
Portland’s recent results include a 118–110 win at Denver between those home losses. The more recent of the two came against San Antonio, when Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points on 13 shots in a 125–103 Spurs win. Portland has shown it can put up more than 103. Against the Thunder, getting enough chances to do it is the first hurdle.
The team stat projections put Portland at about 47 rebounds to Oklahoma City’s 44, but they also put the Blazers at about 17 turnovers to the Thunder’s 12. Watch which end those rebounds come from. An offensive board gives Portland another chance to score on the same trip, while a live-ball turnover can hand Oklahoma City a runout before Portland sets its defense.
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What to watch around 224.5
Oklahoma City was favored by 1.5 with a total of 224.5 in Tuesday’s DraftKings snapshot. Portland and San Antonio combined for 228 even with the Blazers stuck at 103. Oklahoma City’s 114–75 win over Washington finished at 189 despite 30 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in three quarters. Washington went 7-for-43 from deep in that game.
If you’re watching the total early, look at how the shots are coming. Portland second chances and Thunder runouts can both add points. If the Blazers are mostly collecting defensive boards and having to score against a set defense, the raw rebound count can make their night look easier than it is.
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