Blazers Stun Suns, Clinch West’s No. 7 Seed in Play-In Showdown
Portland rallied late to beat Phoenix 114-110 in the NBA play-in tournament Tuesday night in Phoenix. The win secures the Trail Blazers the West’s seventh seed and a first-round matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
Late drama decided the game
Deni Avdija scored the go-ahead points with 16.1 seconds remaining. He completed a layup while drawing a foul and made the free throw for a three-point play.
Earlier, Jordan Goodwin had put Phoenix ahead 110-109 with a driving layup with 32 seconds left. Jalen Green missed a potential tying 3-pointer on Phoenix’s final chance.
Key play to close the game
After Green’s miss, Goodwin grabbed the offensive rebound. Matisse Thybulle stripped him to seal the victory for Portland.
Avdija’s breakout performance
Deni Avdija finished with 41 points. He became the fifth player to score 40 or more points in a play-in game.
- Deni Avdija — 41 points.
- Jalen Green — 35 points for Phoenix.
- Devin Booker — 22 points.
How the game unfolded
Portland led 83-82 entering the fourth quarter. The Blazers had made only one 3-pointer in the third quarter.
Phoenix opened the fourth with an 11-0 run to lead 93-83. Royce O’Neale’s steal and 3-pointer later pushed Phoenix ahead 98-87 with 7:13 remaining.
Portland then mounted its comeback. Jerami Grant returned from injury and hit a corner 3 to put the Blazers up 107-106 with 1:54 left.
Avdija added a finger roll with 37.3 seconds remaining to make it 109-108. The final minutes saw the lead change multiple times.
Standout context and consequences
The victory grants Portland the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. They will meet the San Antonio Spurs in the opening round of the playoffs.
Phoenix will host the winner of Friday’s Clippers-Warriors play-in game. That winner will take the No. 8 seed and face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Historical note
Avdija joins a short list of players who scored 40-plus in play-in games. Others include Jayson Tatum, Coby White, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.
In a tense play-in showdown, Portland produced a late surge and the Blazers stun Suns narrative held true. The result hands Portland the West’s No. 7 seed and extends the Suns’ season into one more do-or-die game.
Filmogaz.com contributed this account.
