Blazers-Suns: How to Watch, Injury Report, Odds, Predictions, More

Portland is looking to recover from a rough blowout loss to the Thunder on Friday night.

Jan 14, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) reacts after drawing a foul against Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) in the third quarter at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images / Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers will square off against their second straight intimidating Western Conference foe in as many days Saturday night, when they head to the Footprint Center to play Kevin Durant and the rest of his 4-1 Phoenix Suns.

Portland is looking to recover from a rough 137-114 blowout loss to the Thunder on Friday night, and will be doing so against Mike Budenholzer's high-powered offense.

How to Watch

Fans in Portland can tune into the action via KATU Charge. If on the go, Portland appreciators can check out the fun via KPOJ 620 AM. Beyond Oregon, Portland appreciators can watch on NBA League Pass.

The bout tips off at 7 p.m. PT.

Injury Report

According to the league's latest injury report, ostensible starting shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe remains out with a labral tear to his left shoulder. Wing Matisse Thybulle is still shelved with a right knee injury. Perennially hurt Robert Williams III is hurt again, this time with a strained left hamstring. None of these vets have been available all year.

Phoenix's third-best player, swingman Bradley Beal, is questionable to play through a right elbow sprain. All three of the Suns' two-way players are sidelined.

Odds

The Suns are -12.5 point favorites to vanquish the Blazers at home, per sportsbook aggregator The Action Network.

Predictions

Look for a better-rested Phoenix squad to obliterate the Trail Blazers.

The Thunder's attack is led by All-NBA point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Suns boast a more divided attack through shooting guard Devin Booker and Durant, plus new starting point guard Tyus Jones. But the way that club massacred Portland last night is instructive. Oklahoma City exploited the Trail Blazers' defensive shortcomings at its positions of strength. Look for Durant to work Jerami Grant as much as he can, while Booker seems likely to dare either of Toumani Camara or Deni Avdija — whichever player winds up covering him — to stop him from driving.

More

Last night, in a 137-114 loss to the still-unbeaten Oklahoma City Thunder (5-0), starting Portland point guard Anfernee Simons came up short in his head-to-head matchup against Gilgeous-Alexander, even before he went down with a troubling injury. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 shooting from the foul line, pulling down seven rebounds, dishing out six dimes and swiping one steal in 28:22. Simons scored just nine points on 1-of-8 shooting from the floor and 6-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe, dished out six dimes and pulled down four rebounds.

Newly-acquired swingman Deni Avdija has struggled to score this year thus far, but he submitted an excitingly efficient stat line last night, scoring 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field (1-of-3 from deep), passing four dimes, nabbing three rebounds and stealing one ball in 23 minutes of action.

Reserve guard Rayan Rupert had another encouraging night off the bench, notching 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field (4-of-7 from long range), two rebounds, a steal and a block.

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