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What Would it Take for the Portland Trail Blazers to Win it All?

The Portland Trail Blazers might have the best backcourt in the NBA with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum running the show. And after making the Western Conference Finals a couple of seasons ago, that backcourt is hoping to make another deep run in the playoffs. If they are to accomplish that, the offense of the Portland Trail Blazers is going to have to do the heavy lifting.

Current Playoff Situation

The Trail Blazers find themselves in a 3-2 hole in the first round against the Denver Nuggets in a series that has been extremely close thus far. Game 5 was decided in double overtime, after two Damian Lillard game-tying threes to get the game to that point was not enough to propel Portland to victory in the extra sessions. Lillard finished that game with 55 points, but that wasn’t enough to get the victory.

Portland Trail Blazers NBA News
Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP

“It was the best playoff performance I’ve ever seen,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “He gave it his all.”

Now, down 3-2, Lillard will need to continue to give it his all to match the work that Nuggets MVP candidate Nikola Jokic has put in during this series. Portland entered the playoffs with one of the worst defensive ratings in the NBA, so it may take similar offensive performances from Lillard and company to the one they had in Game 5 if they are going to win this series and get to the Finals.

Trail Blazers Injury Concerns

The Portland Trail Blazers don’t have any real injury concerns to worry about in the postseason. Zach Collins has missed the majority of this season and hasn’t been active in the playoffs. But none of the key contributors that the Blazers have relied on all season long are missing out on any of the postseason games just yet.

Instead of injury issues, it has been foul trouble that has impacted the lineup of the Portland Trail Blazers during this postseason. Jusuf Nurkic has not been able to avoid foul trouble against Jokic and the Nuggets in the first round. He has fouled out three times in the first five games of their first-round series, which has forced Enes Kanter into more action than anticipated.

Path to the Finals and Odds

For the Portland Trail Blazers, the path to the NBA Finals is going to be a difficult one. If they can come back against the Denver Nuggets, they would be slated to take on the winner of the first-round series between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. Then, if they were to get to the Western Conference Finals, they would face either the Mavericks, Clippers, or Utah Jazz once they got there.

Portland is not seen as one of the serious contenders to get to and win the NBA Finals. Heading into Game 6 against the Nuggets, the Trail Blazers sit at 80/1 NBA odds to win the title. But if Damian Lillard can stay hot, you just never know what could happen in the playoffs. So keep the Portland Trail Blazers in mind as an exciting online betting option to possibly win the championship.

  • The Pick: Portland Trail Blazers +8000

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