Phoenix Suns (1-0) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (1-0)
The Phoenix Suns square off against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, on Friday night, as the 2022-23 NBA season continues with a huge 11-game card, bringing plenty of interesting picks and matchups.
Phoenix heads to Moda Center as a 4-point fave with a total of 226.0 points. The Suns shoot for their fourth straight victory over the Trail Blazers, who won the opener of their four-game series against Phoenix in 2021-22.
The Phoenix Suns started their 2022-23 campaign with a 107-105 home win against the Dallas Mavericks. They failed to cover a 4-point spread, but the Suns rallied from 22 points down to outlast the Mavs in thrilling fashion. The Suns took a one-point lead with 3:10 left on the clock in the fourth quarter, while Damion Lee hit a winning jumper over Spencer Dinwiddie with 9.7 seconds left. Chris Paul watched the final 6:41 from the bench, as Cameron Payne played an important role down the stretch, finishing with a plus-15 net rating in 19 minutes on the floor.
“I'm always open-minded in those situations,” Phoenix head coach Monty Williams said. “As much as you want to have Chris out there, I kn ow Chris wants to win. When I took him out, my plan was to get him back in there at three [minutes]. Then the game was just going in a good way and Cam was playing well, so I didn't want to take him out.
10.12.22: Monty Williams: “I hope they undervalue [Damion Lee] every night.”
10.19.22: @Dami0nLee hits the game winner. pic.twitter.com/QBTu74ix1I
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 20, 2022
Devin Booker enjoyed a nice opening night, recording 28 points, nine assists, and a plus-20 net rating. Deandre Ayton ran into foul troubles early but managed to double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds, while Mikal Bridges had 13 points, 11 boards, and a plus-15 net rating in 41 minutes on the court. The Suns outscored the Mavs in the paint, 56-36, and handed out eight assists more than their rivals (25-17).
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