These teams have been playing good defense while playing at a slow pace. The Nuggets are the sixth-best defensive team in the NBA, while the Trail Blazers rank 13th. Portland has held four of its last six opponents to fewer than 100 points. Denver has gone Under the total in 21 of its last 28 games.

Yet there were 229 points scored when the teams met this past Friday in Denver with the Nuggets winning, 119-110.

Portland shot 48.8 percent from the floor and were 16-20 for 80 percent from the foul line. The Trail Blazers shoot 46.7 percent from the field on the season.

The Nuggets hit 51.2 percent of their field goals and were 26 of 29 from the free throw line for 89.7 percent. Denver shoots 46.6 percent from the foul line on the season and 76 percent from the charity stripe.

I don't expect the teams to match those shooting performances especially the Nuggets as they are going to be sitting out their three top scorers, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Paul Millsap. The three combined to go 25-for-42 from the floor for 60 percent in Friday's game.