Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns Play-In Tournament Photos

The Phoenix Suns hosted the Portland Trail Blazers on April 14, 2026, in a Western Conference NBA Play-In Tournament game to determine the No. 7 seed for the playoffs. The matchup took place at the Mortgage Matchup Center, with the winner earning an immediate berth in the first round of the playoffs.

The stakes for the April 14 contest were significant for both franchises. The winner of the game secured the No. 7 seed and advanced to a first-round playoff series against the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs, who finished the regular season with a 62-20 record. The losing team was not immediately eliminated from postseason contention but instead moved to a second play-in opportunity.

The loser of the Suns-Blazers game is scheduled to host the winner of the No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers versus No. 10 Golden State Warriors game on April 17, 2026, at 7 p.m. The winner of that final play-in game will claim the eighth seed and face the first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who ended the regular season with a 64-18 record.

Road to the Play-In Tournament

The Portland Trail Blazers entered the game as the No. 8 seed with a 42-40 record. Portland secured their position following a 122-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, April 12, 2026. This win allowed the Blazers to hold off the Los Angeles Clippers, who fell to the No. 9 spot due to regular-season tiebreakers.

Portland’s momentum heading into the tournament was bolstered by a recent performance against the Clippers on Friday, April 10, 2026, where Deni Avdija scored 35 points and Donovan Clingan recorded a double-double.

The Phoenix Suns entered the matchup as the No. 7 seed with a 45-37 record. The Suns concluded their 82-game regular season on April 12, 2026, with a 135-103 victory over the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

We’re locked in. We’ve talked about after the All-Star break playing meaningful games. Now that’s transitioned to a big game Tuesday night (April 14). That’s exciting. To play 82 games and then have another chance to play a game. That part is exciting. To do it with this group will be special.

Jordan Ott, Phoenix Suns coach

Game Matchups and Key Personnel

The game featured several key matchups between the two rosters. For the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks led the offensive effort. Defensive highlights included Mark Williams blocking a shot attempt by Portland’s Jerami Grant.

The Trail Blazers, led by interim head coach Tiago Splitter, relied on a rotation including Deni Avdija, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe. During the first half of the contest, Avdija was noted for scoring and drawing a foul, while Shaedon Sharpe recorded a slam dunk against the Suns’ defense.

Other active players for Portland included Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan. For Phoenix, Jalen Green contributed with a three-point shot, while Devin Booker was seen battling Scoot Henderson for loose ball possession during the first half.

Season Context and History

The regular-season series between the two teams indicated a competitive dynamic. The Phoenix Suns held the advantage in the head-to-head matchups, winning on November 18, 2025, with a 127-110 score in Portland, and again on February 3, 2026, with a 130-125 victory in Portland.

The Trail Blazers managed one victory in the season series, defeating the Suns 92-77 in Phoenix on February 22, 2026.

Leading up to the play-in game, the two teams showed differing trends in their final ten games of the regular season. The Trail Blazers posted a 7-3 record, while the Phoenix Suns went 5-5.

As the play-in tournament continues, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are scheduled to face each other on April 15, 2026, at 7 p.m. To determine who will play for the final eighth seed on April 17.