Portland Trail Blazers vs Phoenix Suns Prediction: Who Earns 7th Seed In the Western Conference?
Updated July 9, 2026
The Western Conference play-in round begins on Tuesday night as the Portland Trail Blazers head to Phoenix to face the Suns with a playoff berth on the line. Portland enters after locking up the No. 8 seed with a strong finish to the regular season, while Phoenix secured the No. 7 spot and home-court advantage in the play-in tournament. Before this game tips off, continue reading to get my Trail Blazers vs Suns prediction in the first chance for both of these teams to qualify for the first round of the playoffs.
Portland arrives with confidence after winning 7 of its last 10 games and finishing the regular season above .500 at 42-40. Their young core has shown growth late in the year, highlighted by efficient scoring and improved ball movement. Still, their road record at 18-23 raises concerns in a high-pressure environment.
Phoenix, on the other hand, finished 45-37 and has been much stronger at home with a 25-16 record. The Suns also carry the benefit of experience in big games, which often matters in play-in scenarios. Despite some injury concerns, Phoenix has maintained a positive net rating and a more consistent defensive profile compared to Portland.
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Category | Trail Blazers | Suns |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 115.5 | 112.6 |
Field Goal % | 45% | 46% |
Rebounds per game | 46.0 | 43.1 |
Assists per game | 25.1 | 24.6 |
Phoenix enters this game with a slight edge in overall efficiency and a clear advantage at home. While Portland’s offense has been productive, its defense has struggled to contain opponents, allowing nearly 116 points per game. That issue becomes more significant against a scorer like Booker, who thrives in high-stakes situations.
I am also concerned with the lack of meaningful playoff experience around Jrue Holiday for the Blazers in this game. I think that the Suns will win and cover the spread, while Portland will have a better chance of punching its ticket to the playoffs at home in the second round of the play-in tournament.
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