Game Day (Play-In): Trail Blazers (8th Seed) @ Suns (7th seed), Tues 4/14/26

[Superbone]

Time: 7:00 pm AZ (7:00 pm PT/10:00 pm ET)
Place: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
TV: Prime Video

Win and we've got the 7th seed locked up. Lose and then we'd play the winner of 9th & 10th teams for the 8th seed. The Suns have struggled with big teams like the Blazers. Holiday gives us fits. It will be interesting to see how prepared Coach Ott has the team. I'm not sure of our injury situation other than Grayson Allen being questionable with hamstring issues.

https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/blazers.pdf
https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/suns.pdf

Go Suns!!!

Dis • cuss

[Flagrant Fowl]

Let’s see those Blazers bets!

+320
Blazers win
Clingan 12+ PTS & REB

[Superbone]

Let’s see those Blazers bets!

+320
Blazers win
Clingan 12+ PTS & REB

Sorry to disappoint. Here's my parlay:

Booker 20+ points
Avdija 20+ points
Goodwin 4+ rebounds
Suns -3.5 spread

[Flagrant Fowl]

Don’t hate it!

What’re the odds?

[Mori Chu]

This will be a tough game. I'm scared of Avdija and his ability to score and draw fouls. And Clingan is a strong presence inside the lane. Jerami Grant is mostly a net-negative player IMO, but we don't have good defenders to slow him down and I could picture him hurting us. They have other interesting guys: Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Matisse Thybulle. I have to admit that I haven't watched a lot of Blazers basketball this season. Who else should I be worried about?

[TOO]

Suns should win this game, I say by 12 pts.

[O_Gardino]

I think this is a good matchup for us.

- Booker is the best player in the series.
- Brooks can bother Avdija a lot - since they both rely on contact, I could see this getting chippy. Assuming the refs call it like a playoff game and let some more physicality go.
- Jrue is a good defender, but he's not the stud he used to be. I don't think they have enough defenders to cover our guards.
- Just don't put Royce in a position to guard their big forwards for long. Please.

If the Suns play smart and play at full intensity, we can take this one.

[Superbone]

Don’t hate it!

What’re the odds?

+299

[Superbone]

Suns should win this game, I say by 12 pts.

I feel good about it too. (Which is scary.) I feel like we're going to bring the intensity at home and the home crowd arena will be rocking. I just want to see it for four quarters with no let down. I hope nobody is off limits. Ahem, cough, Fleming, cough. Even Man Man if we need some size on Clingan. Let's go Ott!

[Superbone]

This will be a tough game. I'm scared of Avdija and his ability to score and draw fouls. And Clingan is a strong presence inside the lane. Jerami Grant is mostly a net-negative player IMO, but we don't have good defenders to slow him down and I could picture him hurting us. They have other interesting guys: Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Matisse Thybulle. I have to admit that I haven't watched a lot of Blazers basketball this season. Who else should I be worried about?

Here is what Kellan Olson had to say about Grant:

The largest development of the injury report was on the other side, where Blazers wing Jerami Grant was upgraded to questionable after missing the last seven games due to a right calf strain. You could suspect some gamesmanship with an “oh, he might play!” like with Allen, but the Suns better hope it is, because Grant has torched them this season.

He is a large wing who has been unstoppable against Phoenix when he has played downhill. The two times he faced the Suns he shot 61% and averaged 23 points per game. In addition, he’s also been Portland’s best 3-point shooter, making 38.9% of his 6.1 tries a game for a team bottom-five in 3-point percentage.

All three of those aforementioned wings would be of major assistance against Grant and the Blazers’ slashers. Dunn and Fleming have been majorly inconsistent as on-ball defenders, so if Highsmith is indeed healthy after making his return from a 12-game absence on Sunday, he’s the best bet to play a role.

https://arizonasports.com/nba/phoenix-s ... y/3617752/

[Wally_West]

Matt Ishbia will quote tweet this if we blow em out. Not likely tho

[ShelC]

We'll lose tonight as Ott plays Highsmith 25minutes on a bad knee coming off a 12 game layoff.

[Mori Chu]

On paper I like us to win this, but we have had such bad mojo going into the end of the season, while Portland seems to be on an upswing. Portland isn't THAT good but they have some types of players that give our defense fits, like Jerami Grant. The lack of a true PF is going to hurt us here. I don't think I like Oso vs their bigs. I think ManMan would actually be a great asset here but I don't know if Coach will trust him to play many minutes in such a crucial game.

[ShelC]

[Superbone]

The bummer for me personally tonight is that I have rehearsal and won't be able to watch until late. I'll be checking in before the game still but you won't see me again until probably 11 pm if I'm lucky. Hopefully to celebrate with you all.

[Superbone]

As expected:

[Superbone]

Toumani revenge game?

[Superbone]

My understanding is Kevin Harlan is calling our game tonight.

[Superbone]

Thank god no Scott Foster tonight:

Portland @ Phoenix James Capers (#19/Crew Chief) Nick Buchert (#3) Ray Acosta (#54) Eric Dalen (#37/alt)

[ShelC]

Gambo had said he didn't think Allen would play. If we win tonight he can get another 4-5 days rest. Gotta take care of bidness.