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The Portland Trail Blazers will look to continue their winning ways in the 2020-21 NBA when they take on the Phoenix Suns at the Phoenix Suns Arena on Thursday.
The Suns emerged victorious in both their previous meetings against the Trail Blazers this season.
Match Details
Fixture - Portland Trail Blazers vs Phoenix Suns | 2020-21 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Thursday, May 13th, 10:00 PM ET (Wednesday, May 14th, 7:30 AM IST).
Venue - Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, AZ.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers have been in good recent form, winning nine of their last ten games. The Trail Blazers have beaten teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers during this period.
That run has helped them to fifth place in the Western Conference standings and clear of the play-in tournament places. The Trail Blazers are coming off a morale-boosting win over leaders Utah Jazz in their last outing.
Strong performances from Damian Lillard (30 points), CJ McCollum (26 points), and Carmelo Anthony (18 points) helped the Trail Blazers beat the Jazz 105-98.
The Portland Trail Blazers have also fared well in defense, which could come in handy against the Phoenix Suns.
Key Player - Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard has been the main architect of the Portland Trail Blazers' resurgence. He has led the team from the front, thriving at both ends of the floor.
Lillard has averaged 29.4 points, 7.6 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in his last ten appearances. His matchup with veteran Chris Paul could be key in the outcome of this match.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Damian Lillard l Shooting Guard - CJ McCollum l Small Forward - Norman Powell l Power Forward - Robert Covington l Center - Jusuf Nurkic.
Phoenix Suns Preview
The Phoenix Suns have struggled for form recently, winning just once in their last three games.
They are coming off a 112-116 defeat against the Golden State Warriors in their last game. Devin Booker (34 points), Chris Paul (24 points, ten assists) and Jae Crowder (20 points) made key contributions. But a late surge by the Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, eventually overwhelmed the Suns.
The Phoenix Suns have been highly effective as an offensive unit. But their defense has been poor, especially in their three recent losses, which doesn't augur well for their hopes of beating the in-form Trail Blazers.
Key Player - Chris Paul
Chris Paul has been exceptional for the Phoenix Suns this season. CP3 will once again have to bring his experience to the fore and get his team out of their slump. He will also need to take care of Damian Lillard, a duel that could be key in the outcome of this game.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Chris Paul l Shooting Guard - Devin Booker l Small Forward - Mikal Bridges l Power Forward - Jae Crowder l Center - Deandre Ayton.
Trail Blazers vs Suns Prediction
The Portland Trail Blazers are high on confidence, as they're on a five-game winning run. However, the Phoenix Suns could be a tough opponent, despite their mini-slump. That's because the Suns have lost three consecutive games only once this season.
In fact, with the Trail Blazers playing on consecutive nights, the well-rested Phoenix Suns will fancy their chances of a win on Thursday.
Where to watch the Trail Blazers vs Suns game?
The game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns will be televised nationally on TNT. Local coverage will be provided by Bally Sports Arizona and NBC Sports Northwest. The game can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
