Nothing But Turmoil All Season | OSB

Damien Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers take on Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets on November 17 at 9 PM CST. The Nets are currently ranked 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 6-9. The Trailblazers now sit 1st in the Western Conference with a record of 10-4. The spread is at -2.5 in favor of the Trailblazers, with an over/under of 220.5. The last time the two teams faced off was in march 2022 when the nets were able to win the game by a score of 

For the Nets, it has been nothing but turmoil all season. To start the season, former NBA MVP Kevin Durant requested a trade from the team. Another star, Kyrie Irving, has been suspended from the team and threatening to retire. Last time out, the NETS played the Sacramento Kings. Kevin Durant leads the way for the Nets, scoring 27 in a blowout loss to the Kings 153-121. Durant has been a critical player for the Nets this season, averaging 30.3 points per game (8th in the NBA). Durant has had no help this year as the second-leading scorer for the Nets; Nicholas Claxton only averages 11.2 points per game.

The offense has been moderate for the Nets, with an offensive rating of 113.3. (16th in the NBA). There have only been two significant things for the efficient offense. There is only one considerable promise for this team: they rank 6th in the NBA in effective shooting percentage. The defense has been mediocre, too, as they rank 21st in the NBA in defensive ranking with 114.2. The nets have struggled all season. That’s what lead to the firing of head coach Steve Nash during the middle of the young NBA season. T.J. Warren is listed as questionable with a foot injury. The Nets are currently on a two-game losing streak and have an away record of 3-5 

For the Trailblazers, this season has been all they could want and more. They currently sit 1st in the Western Conference and second in the NBA with a record of 10-4. Damian Lillard has continued his dominance as he has in previous seasons averaging 27.9 points per game. He also shoots 46% from the field and 37.9% from three. There are two more contributors to this team, Anfernee Simmions, averaging 22.3 points per game, and Jerami Grant, averaging 21.9 points per game.

The last game out was a win for the Trailblazers as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 117-110. They shot well from three that game, shooting 46.9%. The leading scorer for the Trailblazers was Jerami Grant, with 29. When the Trailblazers shoot threes, they are consistent, as they currently shoot 39.8%, 3rd in the NBA. Another critical factor for this team has been defense, as they are ranked 8th in the NBA with a defensive rating. The Trailblazers have found success at home, as there are currently 4-2. One significant injury for the team is Gary Peyton, the second, as he continues to be out with an abdominal injury.

The nets have struggled all season and still are missing all-star Kyrie Irving. In addition, they only have an average offense and a mediocre defense. The Trailblazers are playing way out of their expectations this year, all behind first-time coach Chancy Billups. Kevin Durant has had no help this season, and because of this, they just got blown out by the Kings. I am shocked that the spread is currently at 2.5. The Trailblazers are a much better team than the Nets. I am taking Trailblazers -25