The New York Knicks and the Portland Trail Blazers meet for the second (and final) time this regular season when the former visits the latter at Moda Center this Wednesday. Catch this game live on Wednesday, March 15, at 10 AM, Manila time

Away: New York Knicks (40-30/21-14 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG:  Immanuel Quickley
  • SG: Quentin Grimes
  • SF: RJ Barrett
  • PF: Julius Randle
  • C: Mitchell Robinson

The Knicks finally snapped a three-game losing streak last Monday, thanks to a big game from Julius Randle. The former Kentucky Wildcats star erupted for 33 points with eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes to lead New York to a 112-108 win in La La Land over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks also covered the spread in that game, thus improving to 38-29-3 against the spread this season. Moreover, they have also covered the spread in seven of their last 10 games.  

New York arrive in Portland already knowing beforehand that Jalen Brunson will be unavailable again due to a left foot issue, which means likely another start for Immanuel Quickley, who answered the call in the Lakers game, racking up 15 points with three assists and two rebounds. Even without Brunson, the Knicks should find success against Portland’s defense which is just 19th in the league with 115.8 points allowed per game and have just given up a total of 247 points in the last two outings. 

Home: Portland Trail Blazers (31-37/17-15 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Damian Lillard (DTD)
  • SG: Anfernee Simons
  • SF: Matisse Thybulle
  • PF: Jerami Grant
  • C: Jusuf Nurkic

Portland is trying to find its way out of a dark tunnel after losing all its last three games. In their most recent outing, the Blazers got whopped by the New Orleans Pelicans in a 127-110 loss to end a torturous six-game road trip that saw Portland go 2-4 straight up and 3-3 against the spread. A game at home seems timely for the Blazers, who are 16-15-1 ATS at Moda Center this season. However, it’s possible that the Blazers will not have Damian Lillard again due to right calf tightness that forced him out of the Pelicans game. 

If he can’t go, Cam Reddish will likely continue starting, while Jusuf Nurkic will get increased pressure to rebound after laying an egg and going minus-20 in just 10 minutes versus the Pels. If anything, Nurkic scored 20 points with eight rebounds and seven assists in Portland’s 132-128 road win over the Knicks back in November, during which the Blazers also did not have Damian Lillard. Jerami Grant went off for 44 games in that contest, while Anfernee Simons roasted the Knicks for 38 points. The Blazers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games against New York, dating back to 2013.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Blazers (+2) cover the spread.

Over/Under: The total (224.5) hits the Over.