The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns 127-108 at the Moda Center on Saturday night, dominating them in a number of categories.
The Blazers won turnovers (10-19), second-chance points (15-8) and fastbreak points (29-7). They also won points in the paint (66-32).
The Blazers were able to survive by winning these regions, even though they only made 18.8% of their three-point attempts in the second half.
After a day off in Portland, the Suns should be eager to turn those trends around Monday night. After defeating Golden State on Friday, they played on Saturday.
The Suns cannot afford to lose to a squad that is 20–29. Phoenix (25-23) and the Dallas Mavericks (26-24), who think they improved their defense by moving Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis on Saturday night, are tied for ninth place in the Western Conference.
The Sacramento Kings (24-24) and Warriors (24-24), who are tied for 10th place and only one game behind the Suns, are right behind those two clubs.
In a three-team trade that sent All-Star guard De Aaron Fox to the 12th-place San Antonio Spurs (21-25), the Kings acquired Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls.
The Suns are under pressure to stay ahead of the competition as a result of the more intriguing situation in the bottom half of the Western Conference Standings.
Forecast: The Suns’ offensive performance tonight is probably going to be better. Can they handle the offense of the Blazers, though? The center For his old team, which is in dire need of a center, Deandre Ayton is an issue. And with seven players scoring in double digits on Saturday, the Blazers demonstrated their ability to win as a unit. Phoenix will not leave Portland without a win, though, since they have been the better team this season.
Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trail Blazers…
What: Monday at 7 p.m., Trail Blazers (20-29) against. Suns (25-23).
Where: Moda Center.
Series: In Phoenix, the Suns defeated the Blazers 103-97 on November 2 and 116-109 on December 15. On Saturday, Portland outscored the Suns 127-108.
Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM) is the radio station.
TV channel: KATU (Portland, antenna: 2.2). Xfinity: 1170 and 302. 688-1 is DirecTV.KUNP (antenna: 47.1). 16, 302, 1170 Xfinity. Spectrum: 184; DirecTV: 47.
Rip City TV Network is the way to watch. An HDTV antenna on your local ABC affiliate (Charge 2.2 in Portland) will allow you to watch this game live for free even if you don’t have cable. These antennas cost about $20 and are very simple to install. You may get one at your neighborhood Fred Meyer or Bi-Mart, or you can buy one online from Amazon or Walmart and have it delivered right to your house. Here are some guidelines for configuring an HDTV antenna on your TV or other display. Use the channel finder here to learn more about the channel that Rip City TV Network is available on in your area.
DraftKings/Oregon Lottery (ODDS)
Currency line: PHX -180 | POR +150
POR +4 Spread | Over/Under: 230
INJURIES
Blazers: Robert Williams III’s injured right hand raises concerns.Matisse Thybulle is out due to a sprained right ankle.
Suns: Not one.
UPCOMING
Tuesday at 7 p.m., the Blazers take on the Indiana Pacers (27-20).
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Aaron J. Fentress | [email protected]|@AaronJFentress (Facebook), @AaronFentress (Instagram), and @AaronJFentress (Twitter)
