The NBA Play-In Tournament tipped off with a bang Tuesday night, delivering the kind of drama fans crave and rewriting postseason destinies for the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns. In a Western Conference 7-8 matchup that went down to the wire, Portland rallied from a late deficit to stun the Suns 114-110 in Phoenix, clinching their first playoff berth since 2021 and setting up a date with the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
For the Blazers, this victory was more than just a number in the win column—it was a cathartic end to years of postseason frustration. Portland hadn’t won a playoff series since 2019, and with interim coach Tiago Splitter at the helm after Chauncey Billups was placed on administrative leave last October, the team entered the play-in round as underdogs. Yet, Splitter’s advice to his squad revealed his championship pedigree: “Play free. You know, you can play that game super tense. It’s a balance between playing hard and playing free a little bit. You cannot be in fear. You just have to play hard and enjoy that,” Splitter told his players, drawing on his own NBA title run with San Antonio in 2014.
The Suns, led by coach Jordan Ott, came in confident. “We’ll be juiced and ready to rock,” Ott declared before tip-off, eager to return Phoenix to the postseason after last year’s absence. The seventh-seeded Suns had won two of three against Portland during the regular season, but the Blazers took the most recent meeting on February 22, 92-77, despite both squads missing key pieces. That night, Suns stars Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks sat out, while Portland’s leading scorer Deni Avdija exited with a back injury less than a minute in.
This time, all eyes were on Avdija—and he delivered in spectacular fashion. The 25-year-old forward erupted for 41 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and two blocks, putting the team on his back when it mattered most. “If there was ever any question whether Avdija can be a No. 1 option, that was answered definitively on Tuesday,” wrote NBA writer Jason Quick. Avdija’s performance was reminiscent of his early-season brilliance, a stretch interrupted by a back injury that sidelined him for 16 of 24 games. Against Phoenix, he attacked relentlessly, orchestrated the offense, and capped his night with a signature drive and and-1 with just 16.1 seconds left—sealing the Blazers’ fate as playoff-bound.
Portland’s path to victory was anything but straightforward. The Suns, energized by a raucous home crowd, built a double-digit lead in the second half. Jalen Green, who had played only 32 regular-season games due to a hamstring injury, was electric for Phoenix, pouring in 35 points on 14-of-29 shooting. His explosive scoring brought the Suns back from a 14-point deficit in the second quarter and later gave them a seemingly comfortable 105-97 lead with 3:31 remaining in the fourth.
But the Blazers wouldn’t go quietly. Jerami Grant, a steady veteran presence, drilled back-to-back three-pointers—the second giving Portland a 107-106 edge with under two minutes to play, their first lead since early in the third quarter. Booker responded for Phoenix with two clutch free throws, briefly reclaiming the lead. Down the stretch, the teams traded buckets and defensive stops, ratcheting up the tension in Footprint Center.
With 30 seconds left, Suns guard Jordan Goodwin finished a reverse layup to put Phoenix up by one, but missed the ensuing free throw. On the next possession, Avdija took matters into his own hands, blowing by his defender for a driving layup and drawing the foul. His free throw made it a two-point game. Phoenix had one last gasp—Green missed a potential tying three-pointer—and Portland added a late basket to ice the win.
For the Suns, the loss was a bitter pill, echoing a season-long struggle to close out games. NBA writer Doug Haller noted, “As the regular season came to a close, Phoenix’s biggest issue was obvious: The Suns struggled to finish games. In that sense, Tuesday’s Play-In loss to Portland was fitting.” Phoenix led by as many as 11 in the second half, but managed just one field goal in the final minutes. Booker, the team’s offensive engine, was held without a field goal in the fourth, missing all three of his attempts.
Coach Ott, who rested Booker and Brooks in the regular-season finale, faced additional adversity with the health of key contributors. Jalen Green (knee) and Jordan Goodwin (ankle) had both left previous games with injuries, but suited up for the play-in. “Whoever’s available, we’ll make it work,” Ott said before the game. “We know we are a competitive group. We have more than enough to go out there and play and play as hard as we possibly can.” Despite the loss, Green’s performance was a bright spot, showcasing his potential as one of the league’s most explosive guards—even as he continues to find his fit in Phoenix’s scheme.
The Blazers’ supporting cast stepped up as well. Jerami Grant’s timely shooting, Donovan Clingan’s interior presence—he had his fourth straight double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the previous game—and the team’s defensive adjustments all played a part. Splitter praised his group’s resilience: “Stuff happens. I think we went through everything you can imagine. Of course it is going to be a tough game. Jordan Ott is a great coach. A lot of pressure. You just have to enjoy that, knowing it is going to be part of their lives now, playing these important games.”
With the win, Portland clinched the West’s No. 7 seed and will travel to San Antonio to face the second-seeded Spurs in Game 1 of the playoffs Sunday. The Suns’ season isn’t over yet—they’ll host the winner of Wednesday’s LA Clippers-Golden State Warriors matchup on Friday for a shot at the No. 8 seed and a first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The ripple effects of Portland’s triumph extended beyond the court. The Chicago Bulls, who acquired a lottery-protected first-round pick from the Blazers as part of a 2021 trade, celebrated the Blazers’ postseason clinch. That pick will now convey to Chicago, while Portland may end up with Memphis’ second-round pick, depending on its position in the upcoming draft.
Tuesday’s play-in opener wasn’t just about numbers or seeding—it was about redemption, resilience, and the unpredictable beauty of postseason basketball. For the Blazers, it’s a long-awaited return to the big stage. For the Suns, the journey continues, with one more chance to salvage their season. And for fans, it’s a reminder that in the NBA, no lead is safe and every moment can become a legacy-defining play.