Game number one of the playoffs for Portland Trail Blazers vs. New Orleans Pelicans, the series begins at the home of the Trail Blazers, the first two games at home then visit the home of New Orleans Pelicans. The home team has a 68.3% efficiency at home, which leaves them well positioned against the Pelicans with an effectiveness of 58.5% on the road.
Portland Trail Blazers: Ready to win at home if possible.
The regular season at home ended with 28 wins and 13 losses, the team finished third in the Western Conference, 31 wins and 21 losses in the conference, and 9 wins and 7 loses in the division. The performance in the season was much better than last year, plus the average team up to 26.78 points per quarters at home.
106.8 points on average at home, 45.9% field goal, 11.02 three pointers per game with a 37.9% ERA, plus the team is scoring an average of 16.76 free throw points, Portland Trail Blazers’ free-throw effectiveness is the third best of the entire league, the first two teams are Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors. The good thing is that the Pelicans are ranked 16th in the free throw ranking.
Portland has no injured major players, everyone is healthy, Damian Lillard is scoring an average of 26.9 points per game, McCollum 21.4 points, Nurkic 14.3, all other starters are ready to play against the Pelicans. The problem of the Trail Blazers has always been the offensive efficiency, currently the team is in the 15th place, while the Pelicans in the 9th position of the same ranking.
New Orleans Pelicans: DeMarcus Cousins is injured.
Pelicans on the road in the regular season harvested 24 wins and 17 losses, it was a difficult season on the road, they had to play against Rockets, Spurs, Cavaliers, and Warriors. The last week of the regular season they beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena 126-120, it was one of the best victories to close the regular season.
On the road the Pelicans are scoring 110.1 points on average, 75% free throw, 47% field goal, 25.24 assists and an average of 26.99 points per quarter. Anthony Davis is scoring 28.1 per game, Holiday 19.1, Moore 12.5 and Mirotic 14.6 all with good averages, but the absence of Cousins (achilles surgery) will be lethal for the team, since the 26 points on average that Cousins contributed during the regular season they were going to be necessary for the playoffs.
It’s the first game of this round, I see the Trail Blazers much stronger, Portland has the advantage of playing at home, all the players are in good shape and healthy, the Pelicans have had problems to win away from home but they have already won at home in Portland during the regular season 123-116 and lost the first game 93-103, this game will be much more violent than the last where the Pelicans won, more points and I do not care who wins the game.
My Free Pick & Prediction for Portland Trail Blazers vs. New Orleans Pelicans today on 14/4/2018 is: Take the OVER 217 (total)
Enjoy today’s free pick and (hopefully) another winner! Now, to get today’s premium picks from The Sports Betting Whale who has won tens of millions of dollars from betting on sports, click here to lock in your VIP access to The Whale Picks.