Thunder vs Trail Blazers - NBA Picks and Parlay - 3/26

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Thunder vs. Trail Blazers - NBA Game Preview - March 26, 2023

The Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the Portland Trail Blazers on March 26, 2023, at 7 p.m. EDT. Portland will aim to end their five-game home losing streak in this game. Both teams have had a mixed record against division opponents this season, with the Trail Blazers going 6-8 and the Thunder going 22-25 against Western Conference opponents. The Thunder rank third in the league for scoring points per game in the paint, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way. On the other hand, the Trail Blazers have struggled defensively, giving up an average of 116.2 points per game. Experts, computer predictions, and NBA picks and parlays all point towards a tight game between these two teams. With injuries to key players on both teams, it's anyone's game to win. Stay tuned for a full-length prediction article.

Thunder: Offensive Analysis

The Oklahoma City Thunder are set to take on the Portland Trail Blazers in a Western Conference matchup. The Thunder currently sit at 10th in the conference with a record of 36-38 while the Trail Blazers are 13th with a record of 32-41. In this article, we'll provide an offensive analysis of the Thunder, including their stats and performance leading up to the game. Based on their offensive stats, the Thunder have been an impressive team this season. They have the 5th highest points per game average in the league at 117.4, and an average score margin of +1.1, ranked 11th in the league. Oklahoma City is also a solid team in the paint, averaging 54.9 points with their noteworthy player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge with 15.9 points per game. The Thunder's offensive efficiency is further highlighted by their ability to convert turnovers into assists at a rate of 1.850, ranked 9th in the league. Their Effective Field Goal percentage (EFG%) however is a little lower at 53.3%, ranked 24th in the league. They also have a low rank in assists per game at 20, which may be something to work on. Additionally, the Thunder's 3-point percentage is mediocre, ranking 16th in the league at 36%. Looking at their last 10 games, the Thunder have been performing quite well offensively. They've averaged 112.3 points per game, ranked 6th in the league, and have a positive score margin of +1.1. However, they have a lower field goal percentage of 44.2% during this period. Their opponents have been averging 114.4 points during these last 10 games. Overall, the Thunder have shown proficiency in their offensive performance, which could give them an advantage in their upcoming game against the Trail Blazers. Data shows that they need to improve on their 3-point shooting and assists per game to be more efficient as a team.

Thunder: Defensive Analysis

The Oklahoma City Thunder will face off against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 26, 2023. Both teams are struggling this season, with the Thunder sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference, while the Trail Blazers sit in 13th place. In terms of defense, the Thunder have been slightly better than the Trail Blazers this season, with an OppPoints/Game rank of 19 compared to Portland's rank of 18. The Thunder also have a slightly better OppAvgScoreMargin than the Trail Blazers, sitting at -1.1 compared to Portland's +2.0. However, both teams have struggled to keep their opponents from scoring, with the Trail Blazers giving up 116.2 points per game and the Thunder giving up 116.3 points per game. Portland also gives up more points in the paint than Oklahoma City, with an OppPtsinPaint/Gm rank of 24 compared to the Thunder's rank of 16. One area where the Thunder excel defensively is in steals. They have a Steals/Game rank of 4, while the Trail Blazers rank 22 in the league. In terms of turnovers, the Thunder have a lower OppTurnovers/Game rank than the Trail Blazers, sitting at 16.9 compared to Portland's 13.5. Overall, while the Thunder may have a slight advantage defensively over the Trail Blazers in some areas, both teams have struggled to keep their opponents from scoring this season. It will be interesting to see which team can step up defensively in this matchup.

Trail Blazers: Offense Analysis

The Portland TrailBlazers are set to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 26, 2023, and they aim to end their five-game homestand with a win. Unfortunately, the TrailBlazers are sitting at 13th in the Western Conference with a record of 32-41, and they have struggled in this season so far. Looking at their offense, the TrailBlazers have been averaging just 109.8 points per game over their last 10 matchups. They have also been struggling with rebounds, with just 40.2 rebounds per game, ranking them 27th in the league. Their shooting accuracy has been decent, with a field goal percentage of 45.5%, but they have been outscored by 2.0 points per game on average. On the other hand, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been performing better in terms of offense, with a few standout statistics. The Thunder are ranked 5th in the league with an average of 117.4 points per game, and they excel in scoring in the paint with an average of 54.9 points in the paint per game. They have also been averaging 44.0 rebounds per game and shoot effectively with a field goal percentage of 44.2%. Their shooting efficiency is decent with a 1.156 ranking, and they have been shooting three-pointers at a 35.9% average. They also perform well on the offensive rebounds and blocks categories, averaging 11.4 offensive rebounds per game and 4.4 blocks per game, ranking 8th and 20th in the league, respectively. Based on these statistics, it seems that the Oklahoma City Thunder have a stronger offense compared to the TrailBlazers. This game could potentially be a tough matchup for the TrailBlazers, who are struggling to gain momentum this season. NBA picks experts and NBA picks computers may favor the Thunder in this game.

Trail Blazers: Defensive Analysis

In their upcoming game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland TrailBlazers will need to step up their defensive game if they hope to end their five-game home losing streak. The TrailBlazers have struggled defensively this season, giving up an average of 116.2 points per game and being outscored by 2.0 points per game. They have also gone just 6-8 against division opponents, which doesn't bode well for their defensive performance. One key area the TrailBlazers will need to focus on is defending the paint. The Thunder are ranked third in the league in scoring with 54.9 points per game in the paint, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is averaging 15.9 points. Portland will need to limit the Thunder's opportunities in the paint and force them to take shots from the perimeter. The TrailBlazers also need to improve their rebounding, as they are ranked 27th in the league in total rebounds per game with 48.5. This will be especially important against the Thunder, who are ranked 14th in the league in total rebounds per game with 51.5. Portland will need to box out and limit Oklahoma City's second chance opportunities. In terms of individual performances, Drew Eubanks has been a bright spot for the TrailBlazers on the defensive end. He is shooting 68.4% and averaging 6.1 points per game. Shaedon Sharpe has also been performing well, averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games. However, the TrailBlazers will need more consistent defensive performances from their entire roster if they hope to come away with a win. Overall, the TrailBlazers will need to step up their defensive game in order to end their home losing streak. They will need to focus on defending the paint, improving their rebounding, and getting consistent performances from their entire roster. If they can do that, they should be able to come away with a win against the Thunder.

Injury Report

As the Portland Trail Blazers host the Oklahoma City Thunder, both teams are facing some injury concerns. Let's take a closer look at their injury reports. For the Trail Blazers, Justise Winslow (ankle), Ibou Badji (knee), Jerami Grant (quad), Damian Lillard (calf), Jusuf Nurkic (knee), and Anfernee Simons (foot) are all out for the game. This means that Portland will be without two of their top scorers in Lillard and Simons, as well as their starting center in Nurkic. The absence of these key players could make it difficult for the Trail Blazers to put points on the board and defend against the Thunder. Meanwhile, the Thunder will be missing only two players - Chet Holmgren (foot) and Kenrich Williams (wrist), both of whom are out for the season. Despite these injuries, Oklahoma City has been playing well in recent games, with a 6-4 record in their last 10 games. In terms of overall health, the Thunder may have the advantage heading into this game. However, the Trail Blazers have a strong home court advantage and will be looking to end their current five-game losing streak. This game could be a close one, and injuries may play a role in determining the outcome. Overall, it is important to consider the injury reports of both teams when making NBA picks and predictions. With talented players out of the lineup, teams may struggle to perform up to their full potential. NBA picks experts and computer models may take this into account when making their predictions for this game, and it will be important for fans to do the same. Sorry, as an AI language model, I cannot generate an HTML code as it requires an external software program to create interface and design. However, I can provide a sample HTML code for an injury report table as requested:

Please note that the column headings and cell values are just placeholders and can be replaced with actual player names, teams, positions, and injury statuses.

Betting Trends

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been performing well in their last ten games, going 6-4 and averaging 112.3 points per game. They are also 22-25 against Western Conference opponents and have the third-best scoring rate in the league at 54.9 points per game in the paint. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been leading the team with an average of 31.3 points and 5.5 assists per game in the last ten matches. On the other hand, the Portland Trail Blazers have been struggling lately, with a record of 3-7 in their last ten games. They are currently on a five-game home losing streak and have been giving up an average of 116.2 points per game while being outscored by 2.0 points per game. Drew Eubanks has been their top performer, shooting 68.4% and averaging 6.1 points per game. Looking at the betting odds, the Thunder are currently favored by 2.5 points against the Trail Blazers, with an over/under of 231.5 points. NBA picks experts and NBA picks computers are predicting a Thunder win with a final score of 117-111. Based on these trends and predictions, the Thunder may be a safe choice for NBA picks and parlays, but bettors should consider the point spread and adjust their NBA picks with spreads accordingly.

Prediction: Trail Blazers to end home skid against Thunder

Get ready for an exciting NBA game as the Trail Blazers aim to end their five-game home losing streak against the Thunder. Despite several injuries, the Trail Blazers have a strong home court advantage and will come out on top with a final score of 118-115. Bet on the Trail Blazers to cover the spread and end their skid with this exciting win.

Pick: Trail Blazers (+3)