Rafael Guillén
This will be an interesting Western Conference showdown between the Trail Blazers vs Thunder, a game in which both teams have several goals. Portland, for example, must win in order to join the leaders at the top of the crowded table. While the leaders are beginning to stray away, Oklahoma City needs to move up to the middle of the standings. In this way, the NBA regular season is about to enter a very thrilling period.
At JefeBet, we strive to give you the top NBA sports betting information and predictions, so today we bring you our prediction for this Portland Trail Blazers vs Oklahoma City Thunder game.
Predictions, Odds, and Betting Preview for the Portland Trail Blazers vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Regular Season Game on December 21, 2022
- Where: Paycom Arena – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- When: Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 8:00 PM E.T.
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Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers
This team has had one loss in the last 5 games. Portland, in this way, is emerging as one of the best teams in the West and this uptick in their level has put them in a very good position to fight in this difficult conference.
Despite the fact that they lost to the Nuggets by a score of 121-120, Damian Lillard scored 40 points and has established himself as a leader on the squad with 5 straight games of at least 24 points. He also knows how to dish it out, as in the last game against the Rockets, he had 10 assists.
They won’t be able to rely on their primary under-the-boards weapon, Jusuf Nurkic, for this game because he is injured. They lose 9.9 rebounds a game without him. Josh Hart, though, who has two games with at least 10 rebounds, is the one who has also made a major impact.
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder defeated the Grizzlies (which is not at all easy) by a score of 115-109 to earn their first victory after five straight losses. They fell off the table due to the negative streak, so they must now row against the flow.
Interestingly, they were without their leading scorer, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, for the game and still managed to win. The team got their act together and avoided depending on him, but even so, it was demonstrated that they need his contribution to compete at the highest of their levels.
Just so we are aware of Shai’s significance: he scores at least 31.2 points and gives 5.8 assists per game. He has a significant influence on the team, and when trying to defeat a squad like Portland, a team must use all their assets, particularly if facing them for a second time, like in this case.
JefeBet Prediction
The loss of Oklahoma City’s star player will definitely impact them since Portland is playing at a higher level. In this way, the Trail Blazers will move up many positions with another victory. The Thunder, on the other hand, will soon stand in highly dangerous ground, as all of their competitors are beginning to stray from them.
The teams will face off in two necessary games for both. The Thunder have a chance to land Portland, but without Shail Gilgeous-Alexander, it looks pretty difficult that they do so.
Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers Spread.
The odds shown are courtesy of BetMGM. We invite you to read our reviews!
