Portland Trail Blazers Clinch 7th Seed with Win Over Phoenix Suns
The Portland Trail Blazers secured their place in the 2026 NBA Playoffs with a 114–110 victory over the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
With the win, Portland locks up the No. 7 seed and advances to face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, while Phoenix drops into a must-win elimination game.
Game Recap: Blazers Rally Late to Steal the Win
This game was a rollercoaster from start to finish.
- Phoenix built leads of up to 14 points early
- Took an 11-point lead in the 4th quarter
- Looked in control heading into crunch time
But Portland flipped the game late.
The Trail Blazers closed on a dominant 17–5 run, turning a likely loss into a statement win. ()
Clutch defense, transition scoring, and late-game execution completely shifted momentum in the final minutes.
Star Performances
Portland Trail Blazers
- Deni Avdija:
- 41 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds
- Game-winning and-one play late in the 4th
- Jrue Holiday:
- 21 points, veteran leadership
- Bench impact:
- Jerami Grant (16 pts)
- Shaedon Sharpe (12 pts) ()
Portland’s depth outscored Phoenix’s bench 33–17, a key difference in the game. ()
Phoenix Suns
- Jalen Green: 35 points
- Dillon Brooks: strong scoring support
Despite strong individual performances, Phoenix couldn’t hold the lead late. ()
Turning Point
With under 20 seconds remaining, Deni Avdija delivered a clutch and-one layup, giving Portland the lead for good.
Moments later:
- Defensive stop
- Fast-break finish (Grant dunk)
- Game sealed
That sequence defined the entire game.
What This Means
Portland Trail Blazers
- Clinch No. 7 seed in West
- Advance directly to playoffs
- Will face the San Antonio Spurs in Round 1 ()
Phoenix Suns
- Fall into final Play-In game
- Must win next game to stay alive
- Risk missing playoffs entirely
Final Thoughts
This was one of the best Play-In games of 2026.
The Trail Blazers showed:
- resilience
- clutch execution
- star-level performance from Avdija
Portland now enters the playoffs as a dangerous underdog, while Phoenix is left trying to recover from a collapse that slipped away in the final minutes.
