Suns survive Grizzlies
The Phoenix Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies 112–106 in the Western Conference Play‑In on April 14, keeping Phoenix alive for the fight toward the No. 8 seed (usatoday.com). The win moves Phoenix one step closer to the single‑elimination sequence that finalizes the 16‑team playoff field. (usatoday.com).
Phoenix’s season ended Tuesday night when Portland beat the Suns 114-110 in the Western Conference 7-versus-8 play-in game in Phoenix. (nba.com) The Trail Blazers closed on a 17-5 run, and Deni Avdija scored 41 points, including a go-ahead three-point play with 16.1 seconds left. Portland earned the No. 7 seed with the win. (nba.com) Jordan Goodwin put Phoenix ahead 110-109 with 32 seconds remaining, but Avdija answered at the rim, drew the foul and converted the free throw for a 112-110 lead. The Suns did not score again. (nba.com) The National Basketball Association play-in tournament sends the winner of the 7-versus-8 game straight into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. The loser does not stay alive for another round in this matchup; the season ends there. (nba.com) Phoenix entered the night as the West’s No. 7 seed at 45-37, and Portland arrived as No. 8 at 42-40. The bracket now shows Portland advancing into a first-round series against San Antonio. (nba.com) The result means the Suns will miss the 2026 playoffs after reaching the play-in instead of a guaranteed top-six berth. Prime Video carried the game nationally from Phoenix on April 14. (nba.com; nba.com) That also means the original premise of Phoenix “surviving” Memphis is not what happened on April 14. The official league scoreboard and multiple game recaps list Portland, not Memphis, as Phoenix’s opponent, and Portland as the team that advanced. (espn.com; nba.com) Phoenix opened at home with a chance to lock up a playoff berth in one game. Instead, Portland took the spot, and the Suns’ season stopped one win short of the bracket proper. (nba.com; nba.com)
