The Portland Path Blazers and Phoenix Suns meet Tuesday, April 14, at 10:00 p.m. ET at Mortgage Matchup Middle in a Western Convention play-in recreation with a postseason spot on the road. Phoenix enters because the No. 7 seed within the West at 45-37, whereas Portland is No. 8 at 42-40.
Portland’s injury report consists of two names. Jerami Grant is listed as questionable with a proper calf pressure, and Damian Lillard is out due to left Achilles tendon damage administration.
Grant has equipped 18.6 factors per recreation throughout 57 appearances and stays one of many Blazers’ most vital two-way scorers when out there.
Portland nonetheless has sufficient manufacturing to remain harmful, led by Deni Avdija’s 24.2 factors, 6.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per recreation, together with Shaedon Sharpe’s 20.8 factors and Jrue Vacation’s 16.3 factors and 6.1 assists. Donovan Clingan has additionally given the Blazers a gradual inside presence with 11.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per recreation.
Phoenix has just one participant on its damage report. Grayson Allen is questionable with left hamstring soreness, a scenario price monitoring as a result of he averages 16.5 factors and shoots 34.9% from 3-point vary.
The Suns have extra star energy on the high, with Devin Booker averaging 26.1 factors and 6.0 assists and Dillon Brooks including 20.2 factors per recreation. Phoenix additionally will get environment friendly frontcourt manufacturing from Mark Williams, who has averaged 11.7 factors on 64.4% capturing, and the Suns have gained their final matchup convincingly, beating Oklahoma City 135-103 on Sunday.
The season sequence has leaned towards Phoenix, which took two of three conferences. The Suns won 127-110 on Nov. 18 and 130-125 on Feb. 3, whereas Portland answered with a 92-77 win on Feb. 22.
Portland enters on a two-game successful streak after victories over the Kings and Clippers, whereas Phoenix has gained one in every of its final two. With the damage report comparatively brief on either side, availability may nonetheless determine whether or not this play-in recreation turns right into a guard-driven shootout or a frontcourt battle.
