Blazers beat Suns 114–110
Portland edged Phoenix 114–110 in a tight game that clinched a playoff berth for the Trail Blazers, a narrow win captured in highlights published April 14. (youtube.com) The close margin suggests the Blazers converted pressure possessions late in the contest to secure the series entry. (youtube.com)
Portland beat Phoenix 114-110 on April 14 to claim the Western Conference’s No. 7 playoff seed and end the Suns’ chance to lock up that spot. (nba.com) Deni Avdija led Portland with 41 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists, while Jalen Green scored 35. Phoenix got 30 points and 9 assists from Devin Booker in the loss. (espn.com) The game turned in the final seconds after Portland erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. Avdija converted a go-ahead three-point play with 16.1 seconds left, according to the Associated Press recap carried by NBC Sports. (nbcsports.com) That result sent Portland straight into the first round instead of a winner-take-all elimination game on April 17. The National Basketball Association schedule lists the Trail Blazers at the San Antonio Spurs for Game 1 on April 19. (nba.com) Phoenix did not drop out of the postseason picture entirely. The league schedule shows the Suns hosting Golden State on April 17 for the Western Conference’s final playoff berth. (nba.com) The play-in format made the stakes immediate: the No. 7 and No. 8 teams meet once, and the winner becomes the No. 7 seed. That is why one four-point game in Phoenix decided Portland’s path into a full playoff series. (nba.com) For Portland, the win capped a jump from regular-season uncertainty to a guaranteed series against San Antonio. ESPN’s schedule page lists that series opener for Sunday, April 19, with Portland on the road. (espn.com) For Phoenix, the loss turned a home game for the No. 7 seed into a second pressure game two nights later. The Suns finished 45-37 and now need one more win to reach the bracket, while Portland advanced at 42-40. (espn.com) The margin stayed tight all night, but the closing possessions decided it. Portland left Phoenix with the playoff spot, and the Suns were left with one more play-in game to keep their season alive. (foxsports.com)
