Blazers stun Suns to clinch West’s No. 7 seed
Deni Avdija delivered a standout performance with 41 points, including a decisive three-point play with 16.1 seconds remaining, as the Portland Trail Blazers rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Phoenix Suns 114-110 in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday night, News.Az reports, citing AP.
Jordan Goodwin had given the Suns a narrow 110-109 advantage with 32 seconds left after driving in for a layup. However, Avdija quickly responded by attacking the rim, converting a contested layup while drawing a foul, and then sinking the free throw to put Portland ahead 112-110.
Phoenix still had an opportunity to reclaim the lead, but Jalen Green missed a three-point attempt. Goodwin secured the offensive rebound, only to be stripped by Matisse Thybulle, effectively sealing the victory for the Blazers.
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With the win, Portland secured the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the San Antonio Spurs in the opening round.
Meanwhile, the Suns will host the winner of the matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors on Friday. The victor of that game will claim the No. 8 seed and go on to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, while the losing team will see its season come to an end.
By Nijat Babayev
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