Trail Blazers Edge Suns in Dramatic Play-In Victory

In a thrilling NBA play-in tournament matchup on Tuesday night, Deni Avdija poured in 41 points, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns, finishing 114-110. With just 16.1 seconds remaining, Avdija executed a pivotal 3-point play, shifting the momentum in favor of the Blazers, who had been down by 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Jordan Goodwin briefly put the Suns ahead with a layup, making it 110-109 with only 32 seconds left. But Avdija quickly countered with a strong drive to the basket, completing a layup while being fouled, followed by a successful free throw to secure a 112-110 lead.

Although the Suns had an opportunity to reclaim the lead, Jaylen Green’s 3-point attempt missed its mark. Goodwin managed to snag the offensive rebound, only for it to be stripped away by Matisse Thybulle, effectively sealing the win for Portland.

This victory places the Trail Blazers in the No. 7 seed for the Western Conference playoffs, where they’ll face off against the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, the Suns will await the winner of the upcoming game between the Clippers and Warriors, who will fight for the No. 8 seed to go against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The Suns’ playoff aspirations have now come to an end.

The closing moments of the game were tense, with the lead shifting multiple times. Jerami Grant, who returned after a seven-game absence due to a calf injury, contributed with a crucial corner 3-pointer that put Portland ahead 107-106 with 1:54 left on the clock.

Devin Booker quickly responded for Phoenix with two free throws, momentarily giving them the edge at 108-107. However, Avdija countered with a finger roll, putting the Blazers back ahead 109-108 with 37.3 seconds remaining.

Green led the Suns’ scoring with 35 points, while Booker added 22. The Trail Blazers began the fourth quarter with a slim 83-82 lead, despite experiencing difficulties with their shooting earlier in the game, managing only 1 of 11 from beyond the arc in the third quarter.

Green’s jumper opened the final quarter, helping the Suns build their first lead of the second half during an impressive 11-0 run that put them up 93-83.

Further extending their lead, Royce O’Neal’s steal followed by a 3-pointer gave Phoenix a 98-87 cushion with just over seven minutes to play, but the Blazers dug deep to claw back into contention.

In the first quarter, the Suns held a narrow 33-31 advantage, but the Trail Blazers responded with an impressive surge, leading 55-41 midway through the second. Green managed a four-point play while being fouled just before halftime, pulling Phoenix back within reach at 65-62.