Trail Blazers @ Kings
October 19th, 2o22 | 7pm PST
Watch: NBC Sports California, Root Sports Plus, & NBA League Pass
Here we go! The regular season is officially here. After a long offseason, the Blazers are back in action against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. It's been a long time since Portland has played meaningful basketball, and it seems like forever since we've seen Damian Lillard in action in the regular season. But the wait is over, and we'll see if the Blazers can get to 1-0 in the 2022-2023 season. Whenever the Blazers and Kings lock horns, it's usually a very entertaining game. In the past few years, both teams have fielded opportunistic offenses and lackluster defenses, which has led to some high scoring affairs.
3 Keys to the Game
Pace - Last year, the Kings were 8th in the league in team pace despite being 24th in the NBA in offensive rating. The Kings rely on pushing the pace and grabbing easy buckets to aid an otherwise inconsistent offense. With ultra-fast point guard De'Aaron Fox in the fold, the Kings love to play fast. The Blazers will need to effectively slow the pace down and play at their speed. This means keeping the turnovers down and taking quality shots each time down the floor -- the Kings love to get out in transition whether it is off missed shots or turnovers. If the Blazers allow the Kings to make this a track meet, it could be a long night for Portland on the defensive end. The Blazers will need to force the Kings into their half-court offense as much as possible to neutralize the threat of Fox and the overall pace the Kings like to play at.
Anfernee Simons - The Blazers need both Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons to show up Wednesday night, but in my opinion, the onus is on Simons. I have faith that a rejuvenated Lillard will look like his old self, and we know Lillard will get his numbers and lead this team, but can Simons be up to the task? Last year, the Kings were 27th in the league in defensive rating. Other than Harrison Barnes, the Kings are fielding bad defenders in the starting lineup. This is a great matchup for Simons, and he will need to shoot the ball efficiently. The Blazers might need to out-score the Kings in this game, and Portland will need Simons firing to stretch this mediocre Kings defense.
Matchup of the Night
Jusuf Nurkic vs. Kings Frontcourt
Nurkic has historically loved playing against the Kings. Since becoming a Blazer, he has averaged 14.6 points and 11.9 rebounds, including a legendary 5x5 game where he absolutely stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks (talk about an incredible performance!!). The Kings don't offer much resistance on the interior, with Domantas Sabonis and Richaun Holmes not elite defenders. Here's the bottom line: if Nurkic can have his way against Sacramento, Portland will win this game.
Notes, Updates, and Injuries
Keegan Murray is out tonight due to health & safety protocols. He was the 4th overall pick in this year's draft.
Gary Payton II is out as he will be re-evaluated on October 27th. He had surgery in July to fix a core muscle injury. Olivier Sarr and Trendon Watford are also out.
Damian Lillard has averaged 29.2 points per game against the Kings since 2018. Look for Lillard to fill up the bucket once again.
Betting Tips & Prediction
In the last 1o meetings, the over has gone 7-3
Jusuf Nurkic has averaged 14.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists vs the Kings since 2018
The line is Kings (-1.5) with the O/U at 226.5. The Blazers are +105 on the moneyline. Now, you would think my bet of the day would be to take the over, but no. It's opening night, and I'm betting that the Blazers win this game outright. Why? Well, we have Dame back and I'm a die hard fan. It's not sound advice, but I got a gut feeling we get it done.
Pick: Blazers moneyline
I'm not gonna bet on a player prop this game, but if you are then take a look at Nurkic PRA (points, rebounds, and assists). The line is set at 26.5, and I could see Nurk clearing this on points and rebounds alone. He loves playing the Kings.
Alright friends there you have it! The Blazers tip off at 7pm PST on Wednesday night against the Kings. Go Blazers!
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