Trailblazers vs Heat
October 26th, 2022 | 7pm PST
Watch: Root Sports NW+, BSSUN, NBA League Pass
Can the Blazers keep the good vibes rolling at home? After beating the Nuggets 135-110, the Blazers became 4-0 for the first time since 1999-2000. The team that stands in the way of a 5-0 start to the season is the Miami Heat. The Heat are fresh off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, but they roll into town having struggled to a 1-3 record to open the season. Portland, on the other hand, is cooking with gas. A 4-0 record has the national media chattering about this new-look Blazers. Can the Blazers get to 5-0? Let's look at the keys to the game!
Keys to the Game
1. Rebounding
- The Blazers as constructed are a small team that is heavy on guards, so it was a natural reaction to say that rebounding could be an issue for this team. Well through the first 4 games, the Blazers are the 8th best rebounding team in basketball. -- this is a nice surprise. They will face a Miami team that is currently 21st in the league in rebounding, so Portland has an edge in this part of the game. However, the Blazers must be careful because Bam Adebayo, the all-star big for Miami, has an elite motor and will fight for every rebound and loose ball. If the Blazers get out hustled on the glass, this could spell trouble for Portland. Heat teams always play extremely hard, and the Blazers need to match the Heat intensity from the jump. Fun fact: Tyler Herro leads the Heat in rebounds per game at 8.8. He plays a lot of his minutes with the bench, so the Portland bench will need to bring energy to combat Herro's rebounding prowess.
2. Shaedon Sharpe and Nassir Little
- I'm gonna double up on this duo. Little and Sharpe have gotten valuable minutes to start the season, and they are having a true impact on this team's performance. Sharpe and Little will need to bring energy and timely plays in this one, especially if Justice Winslow is out again. The Heat's culture promotes intensity, and Sharpe and Little need to put their competitive hats on and go to work tomorrow. I do not want to see the Heat outwork Portland and hand Portland their first loss. If Jimmy Butler goes off and the Heat make shots, then fine. But I am asking you Portland: do not get outworked. And I will be watching Little and the rook closely.
Matchup of the Game
Anfernee Simons vs Tyler Herro
This matchup is less of a one-on-one duel like a Jokic vs. Nurkic matchup. Rather, this is a matchup between the Heat's 2nd best scorer and the Blazer's 2nd best scorer. Herro has the potential to carry the Heat's scoring load for long stretches as he is averaging 21 point per game in this young season. And we know how good Simons can be in a single game (or quarter for that matter -- just look to his 22 point outburst last game against the Nuggets). Whoever scores more points for the team or impacts the game in a more profound way will give their team a huge advantage. Look for Herro to run the show when Jimmy Butler is getting rest -- if Portland can win those minutes, it would go a long way towards securing a victory tonight.
Notes, Updates, and Injuries
Payton II, Watford, and Sarr continue to all be out. Justice Winslow is questionable.
Omer Yurtseven and Victor Oladipo are out for Miami
Betting Tips and Prediction
Betting Record: 4-0
The Blazers come into this game 4-0 and 4-0 ATS. This has been a great start, but in the back of my mind, I keep thinking that soon enough they will lose straight up and ATS. The Heat play great defense and have great coaching. They are also coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Oh, and they have Jimmy Butler, who is arguably a top 10 two-way player. But, I don't care about all those things. Give me the Blazers to cover and possibly win straight up. We are gonna ride with the Blazers until they lose.
Pick: Blazers +2.5
Player prop record: 1-2
Alright, player prop time. I could go a lot of different ways with this one, but I'm gonna keep it simple. Give me Damian Lillard over 36.5 points, rebounds, and assists. Lillard has been cooking recently and scoring 30 should not be a huge issue for him barring an uncharacteristically poor shooting night. Dame also leads the team assists and has been active on the boards. This one seems easy to me. Let's hope Dame shows out.
Player prop: Damian Lillard O36.5 PRA
Tune into the game at 7pm PST tonight! The Blazers have gifted us fans with a wildly fun 4 game stretch to start the season. Moda is going to be rocking, and the Blazers have a chance to be 5-0 for the first time since the Drexler teams of the early 90s. Go Blazers!
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