The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers will meet in the first night of NBA Cup action for this season. Both teams are above .500 to start the season and will try to get a win to start their cup campaign tonight. Before this contest tips off in the Pacific Northwest, continue reading to get my Nuggets vs Trail Blazers prediction.
Our Nuggets vs Trail Blazers Pick
- Pick: Trail Blazers +4.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trail Blazers
- Date & Time: Friday, October 31, 2025 @ 10:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
- The Nuggets (3‑1) have won three straight games coming into this Halloween night matchup. They are controlling the glass and showing defensive discipline. Denver ranks seventh in the NBA in points per game allowed going into Friday night.
- The Trail Blazers (3‑2) are improving from what we saw out of them a season ago. They rank among the faster‑paced teams in the league and have strong numbers on the offensive rebounding and offensive rating fronts. They have done a fantastic job of overcoming the early-season turmoil resulting from Chauncey Billups not coaching the team due to his legal issues.
- Portland’s injury report is a long list. Star guard Damian Lillard is out for the season, Scoot Henderson is out, and Matisse Thybulle is out. Robert Williams III, Kris Murray, and Shaedon Sharpe are all questionable to compete tonight.
- Cam Johnson and Jamal Murray are both questionable for the Nuggets going into this NBA Cup opener.
Head‑to‑Head & Betting Trends
- This is the first time these teams will meet this season. They will play a total of four times during the regular season.
- This is the only time these teams will play until February.
- Portland is 4-1 against the spread after their first five games.
- Denver is 3-1 against the spread entering Friday’s matchup with the Trail Blazers.
- The Trail Blazers have gone over the total in four of their first five games.
- The Nuggets have gone over their totals in three of their first four outings.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Aaron Gordon (DEN) | Over 16.5 points |
| Nikola Jokic (DEN) | Triple-Double |
| Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | Over 20.5 Points |
Nuggets vs Trail Blazers Model Projection
Score Projection: Denver 116 – Portland 113
Win Probability: Denver 67%, Portland 33%
Final Thoughts
I do expect the Denver Nuggets to win this game on the road to start their NBA Cup run on the right foot. Denver’s late-game execution is usually better than that of their opponents, especially with a healthy Nikola Jokic piling up triple-doubles early in the season. But I am going to take the points with the Trail Blazers in this game.
Portland has lost just one game by five points or more this season. That came on the road against a very good LA Clippers team. I’ll take the Trail Blazers to keep this game close, even if Denver does ultimately come away with the win.
