The San Antonio Spurs had a slip-up recently and can ill afford another when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers.

A game against the 76ers will have happened before this one (Tuesday), but the meeting on Thursday, April 9 (12:30 AEDT) could have serious implications on their seed ranking for the NBA playoffs betting.

It could also have an impact on the Trail Blazers, who will also be involved…

Quick Picks

Our pick: Spurs to win

Value bet: Wembanyama to have 35+ points

Long shot: Avdija to have a triple-double 

Betting Preview

Both teams know that they'll be playing playoff basketball this month, but neither is assured of their seeding as of yet.

The Spurs are still harbouring hopes for the #1 spot in the West, but after slipping up to the Nuggets on Sunday in overtime, it looks unlikely unless Oklahoma capitulate.

The Trail Blazers have turned things around and are looking upwards in the West. They've got the #9 seed at the moment, but they could improve their ranking further as they continue to add wins.

The Timberwolves remain in touching distance, but a Play-In spot is most likely for Portland.

San Antonio will enter this game on the back of hosting the 76ers, with a home record of 29-7, going 34-15 in Conference play.

They are also 9-1 over their last 10 games, with the defeat being the overtime loss.

Portland will head into this game on the back of a trip to Denver. They entered that game 8-2 with a three-game win streak over their last 10.

They have a losing record on the road, but have improved it to 18-21 over their recent run.

Betting Markets to Watch

Spurs hold a 12-8 record over the Trail Blazers in the last 20 meetings. Portland have won two of the last three, though, including one trip to San Antonio.

In that one, they won 115-110 back in January, although San Antonio were missing Victor Wembanyama.

Deni Avdija has been just as integral for the Trail Blazers as Wemby has for the Spurs, and it showed in that game.

The Israeli managed to score 29 points, record 10 assists, and 10 rebounds for a triple-double in the NBA . He has three this season, which is a career high.

He'll offer value for another, as he is a primary option for Portland.

San Antonio's strong home form will likely have them as favourites to win in the moneyline, despite the poor recent record against the Trail Blazers.

We think this will offer value worth exploring, as the odds may be slightly inflated.

Wembanyama remains a constant threat and recently had another 30+ game, after back-to-back 40+ performances. We think he'll offer value for 35+ points in this one.

Our Prediction

Check the latest NBA betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our prediction is that we believe a Spurs win is the most likely outcome.

We think this game will be close, given Portland's resurgence, but we think the Spurs are most likely to win by a small margin.