The Denver Nuggets look to take control of their Western Conference semifinal series when they host the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 on Tuesday night in the 2019 NBA Playoffs. Tipoff from the Pepsi Center is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. The series is tied 2-2, with both clubs winning on the other's home floor once. The Nuggets bounced back from a four-overtime loss Friday with a 116-112 victory Sunday in Portland behind 34 points from Jamal Murray. His performance helped overcome 57 combined points from Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum of Portland. The Blazers posted a 97-90 Game 2 win in Denver. Denver is a five-point favorite and the over-under for total points scored is 213 in the latest Blazers vs. Nuggets odds. Before you lock in your Blazers vs. Nuggets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine's proven projection model. 

The model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is crushing its NBA picks. It entered Week 30 of the 2018-19 NBA season with a sterling record on its top-rated picks, returning more than $3,000 in profit to anybody following them. And it has been particularly red-hot on its A-rated NBA money line picks, entering Week 30 on a strong 85-60 run. Anybody who has followed it is way up. 

Now, it has set its sights on Game 5 of Blazers vs. Nuggets. We can tell you it's leaning over, but it's also generated a strong against the spread pick that hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see that one at SportsLine.

One major factor the Nuggets has been the consistency of Murray, who is proving he can be counted on amid postseason pressure. The 22-year-old is averaging 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals in the series. He is more than holding his own against the 28-year-old Lillard, his Portland counterpart who is the more established star. Lillard is putting up 27.3 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per contest.

The Nuggets are 6-1 in the playoffs when Murray scores 20 or more points. They also have benefited from a resurgence by Will Barton, who struggled in the first round. The veteran forward is averaging 16.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals. He hit several key shots to help Denver stay close in Game 3, and his pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of Game 4 were key to securing the victory. 

But just because Denver has played extremely well at home this season doesn't mean it will cover the Nuggets vs. Blazers spread on Tuesday night in the 2019 NBA Playoffs.

The Trail Blazers won Game 2 in Denver despite Lillard being held to just 14 points and losing the rebounding battle 69-58. McCollum
picked up the slack with 20 points, and he's increased his production as Denver's defense zeroes in on slowing Lillard. McCollum had 41 points in Game 3 and followed that effort with 29 points in Game 4 on 10-of-20 shooting. Lillard also averaged 28 points over the past two contests despite shooting just 19-of-46 from the field and 12-of-16 from 3-point range.

Who wins Game 5 of Nuggets vs. Blazers? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Nuggets vs. Blazers spread you should be all over Tuesday, all from the model that's up more than $3,000 on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.