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The Phoenix Suns will play their third game of the 2021-22 NBA season against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. Seeded second and sixth in the Western Conference, respectively, the matchup between the two high-caliber squads will be a must-watch for basketball fans.
Phoenix Suns, the away team in this game, have one loss and one victory under their belt. After a close loss against the Denver Nuggets, the Suns upped their game to defeated the LA Lakers by ten points. The former NBA finalists look strong with great offensive and defensive balance, and could be a difficult team for Portland to beat.
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers are coming off a loss against the Sacramento Kings in their season opener, thanks to Harrison Barnes' lucky night. It's no secret Rip City is a force to be reckoned with.
The threat they are able to maintain even in key moments against the most fearsome of squads is something possessed by only a few teams in the league. Their matchup with the Phoenix Suns could be a tight match, where the two teams battle it out to add a victory to their record.
Phoenix Suns Injury Report
The Valley of the Suns began their season with an almost healthy squad, and will continue to do so for their next game. The only two players missing from their roster for their game against the LA Lakers were Ishmail Wainright and Dario Saric.
Ishmail, the 16th player on the team sheet, is the latest signing in the Suns' squad. His availability is unclear for this game. Meanwhile, Dario Saric is still in rehab post the ACL tear that put him out after game 1 of the 2020-21 NBA Finals.
Portland Trail Blazers Injury Report
According to the report submitted by Rip City to the NBA, Tony Snell is the only player listed as 'out' for their game on Saturday. An injury sustained while in practice prior to the preseason has taken longer to heal than anticipated. Snell's right foot sprain will keep him out of this game.
Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers: Predicted Lineups
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns have the best playmaker, and one of the best scorers and centers in the league. The trio of Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker put up an incredible performance against the Lakers.
By registering 23 points, 14 assists and five rebounds, Paul became the only player in league history to register 20,000 points and 10,000 assists. Meanwhile, Booker scored 22 points, and Ayton snatched 15 rebounds to lead their team to the victory on the night.
With such a performance, it is obvious their backcourt will be made up of Booker and CP3, while the frontcourt should feature Ayton, Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder.
Portland Trail Blazers
Although the Portland Trail Blazers lost their first game of the season, their backcourt played exceptionally. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 54 points, CJ scored 34 of them, and was the highest scorer for his team. The team's center, Jusuf Nurkic, also showed promise, as he dropped 20 points and collected 14 rebounds.
The Portland Trail Blazers could also use the same lineup they deployed in their previous match. The frontcourt will likely be made up of Norman Powell, Robert Covington and Nurkic, while the backcourt could consist of CJ and Lillard.
Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers: Predicted Starting 5s
Phoenix Suns
Point Guard - Chris Paul | Shooting Guard - Devin Booker | Small Forward - Mikal Bridges | Power Forward - Jae Crowder | Center - Deandre Ayton.
Portland Trail Blazers
Point Guard - Damian Lillard | Shooting Guard - CJ McCollum | Small Forward - Norman Powell | Power Forward - Robert Covington | Center - Jusuf Nurkic.
