The real animal

Pick title: 2* Portland -4 1/2
Pick Date: 04/18/2009
Pick description:
Portland really peaking having won six straight to end the season with five straight covers. The defense yielded 82.4 points a game in their last five. Blazers on fire at home finishing 34-7. Houston a game under .500 on the road and struggled versus the elite on foreign hardwoods down the stretch losing games at Dallas, Phoenix, Utah, and the Lakers by an average of just under 10 points per game. Portland, making their first playoff appearance in seven years, will be ecstatic for this one. The Blazers are 12-1 ATS at home the past two years following three consecutive wins and outscoring opponents by 14 per game in those 13 contests. Plus it’s difficult to go against this one: Portland 8-0 ATS this year after a home blowout by 20 points or more and outscoring those foes 107-89. Throw in 9-0 ATS the last two years at home after yielding 80 or less last time out. That 104-76 lopsided win over Denver at home on Wednesday puts Portland in this perfect spread scenario Saturday night. Brandon Roy has been unstoppable all year and his offensive mentality will really test Ron Artest. Rockets just rely way too much on Yao Ming and I suspect Przybilla and Aldridge can get Ming in foul trouble. Surprisingly this series has produced four consecutive ‘OVERS’ and Portland is 8-1 ‘OVER’ at home this year as a six-point favorite or less. I’m not sold on Battier or Brooks on the road to assist Yao enough.
Take Portland minus the small number of - 4.5