The Spurs and Path Blazers will open their first-round collection Sunday night time in a matchup the betting market views as probably the most lopsided on the board.
San Antonio is a ten.5-point favourite in Sport 1 over Portland, who enters the postseason because the West’s No. 7 seed after a NBA play-in event win over the Phoenix Suns.
The Blazers truly performed the Spurs nicely this season, successful one sport in San Antonio and staying shut in two others earlier than shedding.
There’s only one main problem for Portland: Victor Wembanyama didn’t play in any of these video games.
That’s unhealthy information for Deni Avdija, who dominated these three matchups however can have a tough time coping with the probably NBA Defensive Participant of the Yr award winner.
Avdija averaged 31.7 factors per sport on a ridiculous 54.8 p.c taking pictures in opposition to the Spurs this season.
The Israeli native’s distinctive play fashion results in loads of scoring within the paint — in the course of the common season, he made 4.2 discipline objectives within the painted space per sport, which is a quantity among the many likes of massive males Karl-Anthony Cities and Ivica Zubac.
That gained’t be taking place with Wembanyama lurking.
The Spurs allowed simply 46.4 factors within the paint per sport, which was the seventh-fewest within the league in the course of the common season.
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They allowed opponents to shoot simply 61.4 p.c on makes an attempt inside 5 toes, which was fourth-best in basketball.
Avdija will discover different methods to have an effect on the sport, however Portland might want to get their scoring from elsewhere with Wembanyama guarding the basket in opposition to them for the primary time this season.
The play: Deni Avdija to attain fewer than 24.5 factors (-120, FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a flexible author and analyst throughout many sports activities. He’s notably educated concerning the large three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
