Ryan Blackburn: It’s tempting to put Damian Lillard here after an impressive showing against Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, but I will stick with Nikola Jokic here. The Nuggets are and should be the favorites of this series. They are dealing with less injuries, possess home court advantage, and their star player has a better matchup than the opposing team’s star player. Lillard is going to have a more difficult time against Gary Harris, Torrey Craig, and Denver’s blitzing defensive scheme than Oklahoma City’s drop or trap coverage.
Staff Predictions: Can the Nuggets extend their playoff run against the Portland Trail Blazers?
