Sunday night at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers squared off in a matchup that, on paper, might have looked straightforward. But with both teams battling a wave of injuries and the season’s playoff picture starting to take shape, nothing about this NBA clash was simple—or predictable.
The Suns entered the evening with a 33-24 record, holding a six-game cushion over the Trail Blazers, who sat at 27-30 and clinging to the 10th seed out West. Yet, even with the Suns leading the season series 2-0, the circumstances surrounding this game were anything but routine. Just 24 hours earlier, Phoenix had survived a double-overtime thriller against the Orlando Magic, snatching a 113-110 win thanks to Jalen Green’s buzzer-beating three-pointer—a shot that instantly became one of the season’s defining moments for the Suns.
That high, however, was quickly tempered by the sobering news that forward Dillon Brooks had broken his left hand during the Orlando game. According to ESPN, Brooks is expected to miss an extended period. "That's my guy," Suns guard Jalen Green said after the win, reflecting on Brooks’ absence. "He's needed out there." The injury bug didn’t stop there; All-Star guard Devin Booker was already sidelined with a strained right hip, set to be reevaluated in a week, and reserve guard Jordan Goodwin exited the Orlando game with a left calf injury, awaiting an MRI. The Suns’ injury report for Sunday read like a laundry list: Brooks (out), Booker (out), Goodwin (out), Grayson Allen (questionable but returned with 27 points against Orlando), Haywood Highsmith (out), Cole Anthony (out), and even Jalen Green (questionable with knee management).
Despite the adversity, Suns coach Jordan Ott remained resolute. "It's happened back-to-back games for us," Ott told reporters. "We can't feel sorry for ourselves. No one cares. The only group that can help you when you are stranded is your group. So we just have to find a solution." That mentality would be put to the test against a Portland squad desperate to bounce back from what interim coach Tiago Splitter called "one of the worst games of the season." The Blazers had been routed 157-103 by the Denver Nuggets on Friday, a defeat that tied for the third-most points allowed in franchise history. "Sometimes you get punched in the face. Then you react," Splitter admitted. "I think we're going to bounce back. Go to Phoenix and bounce back like (the Nuggets) did. Come in with a sense of urgency to win and do the right things—effort on defense, talk, communicate."
The Trail Blazers were also shorthanded. Damian Lillard (Achilles) was out for the season, Shaedon Sharpe (calf) remained sidelined, and forward Deni Avdija (back) was questionable. Sharpe, the team’s second-leading scorer at 21.4 points per game, had missed five straight contests and was expected to be out for a "little bit", as Splitter put it. The absence of Lillard and Sharpe left a heavy burden on Avdija, who is enjoying a breakout year leading the team with 25 points and 6.8 assists per game, and ranking second in rebounding at 7.2 per contest. Against Denver, Avdija tallied 15 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds, and six turnovers—a stat line that underscores both his importance and the pressure he faces in this depleted lineup.
Both teams have leaned hard into the perimeter game this season. The Blazers, despite ranking 28th in three-point percentage at just 34.1%, are second in the league in attempts, hoisting 42.5 threes per game and averaging 14.5 makes. They’ve hit at least 14 triples in eight straight games and nine of their last ten. The Suns, meanwhile, are fifth in three-point rate, with 47.3% of their shots coming from deep. Yet, their accuracy has lagged, sitting at 34.2% for February—just 23rd in the NBA. The loss of Brooks, who had made the fourth-most threes for the team this season, only complicates matters. "Those shots do not disappear. Someone has to absorb them," noted a Suns analyst. The responsibility now falls to the likes of Collin Gillespie, Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen, and Ryan Dunn to step up and convert open looks.
Rebounding loomed as a critical factor. Portland is sixth in the NBA in total rebounds per game (45.9) and third in offensive rebounding rate (35.4%), translating to a league-best 18.3 second-chance points per night. Donovan Clingan, leading the NBA with 4.7 offensive rebounds a game, sets the tone for the Blazers’ relentless work on the glass. The Suns, already worn down from Saturday’s marathon and missing key personnel, had to battle even harder to avoid surrendering extra possessions. Rookie Khaman Maluach was mentioned as a possible option for Phoenix to counter Portland’s size—"Purely for size. A body. Someone to box out and absorb contact," as one preview suggested. Whether Ott would turn to the rookie in this crucial matchup remained to be seen.
Oddsmakers had the Trail Blazers as 3.5-point favorites on the road, with the Over/Under set at 222.5 points—a nod to both teams’ offensive potential and defensive vulnerabilities. The Suns, despite a solid 19-10 home record, were 8-3 against the spread as home underdogs this season. The Blazers, meanwhile, were 5-6 as away favorites and 7-6 against the spread with a rest advantage. Season series history favored Phoenix, who had already claimed both previous meetings, including a 130-125 comeback win in Portland earlier this month.
As the teams took the floor, the big question was simple: Who would step up? For Phoenix, the answer needed to come from a patchwork rotation. For Portland, it was about rediscovering defensive intensity and capitalizing on their rebounding edge. "Everybody has to look inside yourself," Splitter said before tipoff. "How can we be ready in these moments, stay together? We all have to do this together. There is no individual who is going to take us and do it by himself."
With the playoff race tightening and both squads searching for answers, Sunday’s matchup was less about star power and more about resilience, teamwork, and seizing the moment. As of press time, the game was ongoing, with both sides scrapping for every rebound, every loose ball, and every point—showing that, in the NBA, no win comes easy, especially when adversity knocks at the door.
Fans in Phoenix and Portland alike will be watching closely to see which team finds the formula to overcome injuries and fatigue. One thing’s for sure: this battle of attrition is far from over, and every possession could tip the balance as the playoff chase heats up in the Western Conference.