The Denver Nuggets won the first matchup of this Western Conference semifinals series 121-113. Denver big man Nikola Jokic took full advantage of the fact that the Blazers are banged down low with Jusuf Nurkic out for the season and Enes Kanter not 100%. "I cannot play the way I want to play," Kanter told reporters after Game 1. "Just keep playing through it".

I think the Nuggets will be well motivated to make the most of their homecourt advantage again here in Game 2 before the series shift to Portland.

On the season, the Nuggets are 38-8 SU and 28-18 ATS home at Pepsi Center. They're 6-0 ATS in their last six Conference Semifinals games while the Portland Trail Blazers are just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 Conference Semifinals games.

We can also note that Portland has failed to cover the spread in four of its last five on the road.

10* play on Denver Nuggets.