Don't look now, but an epic Northwest division showdown will be in the works as the Portland Trail Blazers head to the Mile High City to tip off with the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Let's check out our NBA odds series where our Trail Blazers-Nuggets prediction and pick will be unveiled for all to see.

Fresh off of spoiling former Blazers superstar Damian Lillard's homecoming to Portland in the final seconds of a 119-116 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Trail Blazers now possess a 15-33 record and are in the midst of winning two-straight games for the first time in more than two weeks. Although Portland is far from a playoff contender, they could be playing some of their best basketball of the season over the last handful of games.

Meanwhile, a rare night off for Nikola Jokic in a pivotal road loss to fellow conference contenders in the Oklahoma City Thunder was ultimately the difference on Wednesday evening as the Nuggets fell short by a score of 100-105. Despite a phenomenal effort without their multiple MVP winner, Denver still comes into play with a 33-16 record and are only 1.5 games out of first place in a traffic jam of a Western Conference. Can the Nuggets get back on track in their first tilt with the Trail Blazers this season?

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Trail Blazers-Nuggets Odds

Portland Trail Blazers: +12 (-110)

Moneyline: +530

Denver Nuggets: -12 (-110)

Moneyline: -750

Over: 222.5 (-110)

Under: 222.5 (-110)

How to Watch Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets

Time: 9:00 ET/6:00 PT

TV: Altitude Sports and Entertainment/NBA League Pass

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Trail Blazers Could Cover The Spread/Win

It certainly hasn't been the type of season that head coach and former Denver Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups would have liked, but it is hard to argue against the fact that this team shows heart night in and night out.

With an extraordinary amount of effort needed to overcome last year's champs on the road, it will be that much more important as well for Portland to replicate their newfound success from way downtown. Believe it or not, the Blazers have shown life from beyond the arc in ways that they have not experienced all year long. As a whole, Portland is shooting roughly 35% from three-point range, but they are coming off an impressive shooting night from long range in the triumphant win over Milwaukee. At the end of the day, the Trail Blazers knocked down 12 of their 28 three-point attempts in unconscious fashion and will need another performance like this to keep it close with a full-strength Nuggets squad.

In addition, it will be of the utmost importance for the Trail Blazers to continue to put the rock in the hands of their talented shooting guard Anfernee Simons. Against the Bucks, Simons hit a clutch shot after shot including a go-ahead running floater in the final seconds of the ballgame that ultimately put the contest out of reach for Milwaukee. Most definitely, Simons is a proven difference-maker on this Portland roster and has the ability to score at will in all areas of the hardwood.

Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread/Win

Without a doubt, it is evident that Nikola Jokic is the engine of this roster. Of course, this has been known for quite some time, but it was especially the case when glancing upon the short-handed Nuggets against a contending squad like the Thunder. Nevertheless, give credit where credit is due as the Nuggets put forth an incredible effort despite coming up short in Oklahoma City.

Dealing with some lower back tightness which was the sole reason why he was forced to sit out on Wednesday, the return of a rested Nikola Jokic should be a nightmarish sight for the Trail Blazers. With him coming back to the starting lineup, be on the lookout for Jokic to get his teammates involved at a feverish pace.

Oftentimes, the Serbian sensation will be in facilitator mode against teams with lesser talent. In fact, the Nuggets are at their best when Jokic is in pass-first mode and is making flashy passes to open shooters. All in all, Denver will have plenty of opportunities to put points up on the scoreboard against a Blazers defense that surrenders nearly 117 points in the game. Furthermore, Portland has struggled mightily on the road and are only 6-20 on the road. Indeed, Denver owns one of the top home-court advantages in the league at high altitude as this will be another advantage the Nuggets will hold over the Trail Blazers' heads on Friday night.

Final Trail Blazers-Nuggets Prediction & Pick

Overall, the Nuggets usually handle their business against teams with losing records, and this should be expected to be the case, especially at Ball Arena. Take Denver to win big!

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Final Trail Blazers-Nuggets Prediction & Pick: Denver Nuggets -12 (-110)