Trail Blazers vs Suns Match Stats: A 114-110 Play-In Masterpiece
Basketball isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s a war. That’s exactly what happened in Phoenix on Tuesday night. The trail blazers vs suns april 14 2026, was a fight from tip-off to the final buzzer. The final suns vs trail blazers score read 114-110. But that number doesn’t tell half the story.
Portland trailed by 11 points in the fourth quarter. They looked dead. Then they got up. And they punched Phoenix right in the mouth.
This was a play-in game. Win, and you’re alive. Lose, and you go home. The stakes don’t get higher in April. The Footprint Center was loud. The Suns had the crowd behind them. But the Blazers had something else. Heart. Grit. And a 41-point masterpiece from a guy named Deni Avdija.
Let’s break down how it all went down. We’ll go quarter by quarter. Look at the stats. And figure out who stepped up when it mattered most.
| Player | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deni Avdija POR | 38 | 15-22 | 3-8 | 8-13 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 41 |
| Jrue Holiday POR | 37 | 7-18 | 4-11 | 3-4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 21 |
| Jerami Grant POR | 28 | 5-12 | 4-8 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| Shaedon Sharpe POR | 23 | 4-7 | 2-5 | 2-2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Scoot Henderson POR | 20 | 3-6 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Toumani Camara POR | 24 | 3-9 | 2-7 | 0-0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Jalen Green PHX | 40 | 14-29 | 2-7 | 5-6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 35 |
| Devin Booker PHX | 39 | 7-17 | 0-2 | 8-13 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Dillon Brooks PHX | 35 | 6-10 | 2-4 | 6-6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| Jordan Goodwin PHX | 30 | 4-7 | 3-6 | 1-3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Royce O’Neale PHX | 19 | 3-5 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
📌 Turnover battle + Avdija’s clutch and-1
Portland forced 23 Suns turnovers (season-high for Phoenix) and turned them into 28 points. Deni Avdija scored or assisted on Portland’s final 8 points in the last 2 minutes, including the game-winning and-1 with 16.1 seconds left. The Blazers overcame an 11-point 4th‑quarter deficit (93-83) and shot 31 points in the final frame.
The Stakes: Why This Game Was Life or Death
Before we get to the action, you need to understand what this game means.
The NBA play-in tournament is brutal. You finish 7th through 10th in your conference. Then you fight for the final two playoff spots. This NBA Western Conference match result in April 2026 was for the No. 7 seed.
The winner got to face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The loser would have to play another win-or-go-home game just to get the No. 8 seed.
Simple math: win and get a fresh playoff series. Lose and your season is on life support.
The phoenix suns vs portland trail blazers stats show how evenly matched these teams were. Both finished with identical regular-season records. Both had stars. Both had injuries. Both needed this win like air.
First Quarter Fireworks: Suns Jump Out Early
The game started like a track meet.
Phoenix came out swinging. Jalen Green was on fire from the jump. He scored early and often. The Suns vs Blazers quarter-by-quarter score after 12 minutes showed Phoenix leading 33-31.
Devin Booker looked smooth. He hit his free throws. He ran the offense. The crowd was eating it up.
But Portland didn’t fold. Jrue Holiday kept the Blazers close. He attacked the rim and drew fouls. The trail blazers vs suns full game stats would later show how important those early free throws were.
One thing stood out in the first quarter. The pace was insane. Both teams wanted to run. Neither wanted to play defense. It felt like an All-Star game for a while.
Then the second quarter happened. And everything changed.
Second Quarter Shift: Portland Takes Control
The Blazers flipped a switch in the second period.
Portland went on a tear. They pushed the lead to 55-41 midway through the quarter. The suns vs trail blazers head to head stats have seen many runs over the years. But this one felt different. Portland’s defense tightened up. Phoenix couldn’t get a clean look.
Jerami Grant came off the bench and provided a spark. He had missed the final seven games of the regular season with a calf injury. Nobody knew what to expect. But he looked fresh. He looked hungry.
Then Phoenix answered.
Jalen Green completed a ridiculous four-point play with one second left in the half. He hit a three-pointer while getting fouled. Then he made the free throw. The crowd exploded. The Suns vs Blazers game recap would call this the turning point.
Halftime score: Phoenix cut the lead to 65-62. The momentum had shifted back to the home team.
Third Quarter Snoozer: Defense Takes Over
The third quarter was ugly. Like, really ugly.
Portland shot 1-of-11 from three-point range. That’s 9%. In a single quarter. You can’t make that up.
The trail blazers vs suns match result in 2026 almost got away from them right here. Phoenix’s defense clamped down. They forced bad shots. They grabbed rebounds. They ran in transition.
But here’s the crazy part. Portland still led 83-82 going into the fourth.
How? Deni Avdija. He kept attacking the rim. He drew fouls. He kept the offense alive when nothing else worked.
The team’s shooting percentage analysis from this quarter is brutal. Both teams struggled. It was a rock fight. No rhythm. No flow. Just two tired teams grinding.
Then the fourth quarter started. And things got wild.
Fourth Quarter Chaos: The Comeback Kid Strikes
Phoenix opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run. Just like that, they led 93-83.
The Portland Trail Blazers’ latest match stats looked doomed. Avdija was gassed. Holiday was struggling. The bench wasn’t producing.
But then something clicked.
Royce O’Neale hit a steal and a three-pointer. That put Phoenix up 98-87 with 7:13 left. The lead felt insurmountable.
Portland didn’t care.
They started chipping away. One bucket at a time. One stop at a time. The NBA suns vs trail blazers april 2026 game turned into a heavyweight fight. Every possession mattered.
Jerami Grant hit a corner three-pointer to give Portland a 107-106 lead with 1:54 left. The bench went crazy.
Booker answered with two free throws. 108-107 Phoenix.
Avdija answered with a finger roll at the rim. 109-108 Portland.
Then Jordan Goodwin drove for a layup to give Phoenix a 110-109 lead with 32 seconds left.
This is where legends are made.
The Final 32 Seconds: Avdija’s Hero Moment
Deni Avdija took the inbound pass. The clock was ticking. Everyone in the building knew he was getting the ball.
He drove hard to the rim. Contact. Foul. The ball went in.
And-1.
The free throw was pure. 112-110 Portland.
The trail blazers vs suns player stats would show Avdija finished with 41 points. But the real story was his toughness. He wanted the ball. He wanted the pressure. And he delivered.
Phoenix had one last chance. Jalen Green’s three-pointer missed. Jordan Goodwin grabbed the offensive rebound. Then Matisse Thybulle stripped him. Game over.
The rebounds, assists turnovers stats NBA will show Phoenix had 23 turnovers. Portland had only 12. That was the difference.
Final score: 114-110. Portland survives. Phoenix goes home.
Key Player Stats: Who Showed Up and Who Didn’t
Let’s get into the numbers. The suns vs blazers box score on April 14 tells a clear story.
Portland Trail Blazers:
- Deni Avdija: 41 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds. He was everywhere.
- Jrue Holiday: 21 points, 4 assists. Solid but not spectacular.
- Jerami Grant: 16 points off the bench. Huge in the fourth quarter.
- Shaedon Sharpe: 12 points. Provided energy for limited minutes.
- Toumani Camara: 8 points, 7 rebounds. Did the dirty work.
Phoenix Suns:
- Jalen Green: 35 points. He was incredible. Just not enough help.
- Devin Booker: 22 points, 8 assists. Quiet night by his standards.
- Dillon Brooks: 20 points. Played tough defense.
- Jordan Goodwin: 12 points. Hit some big shots.
The offensive and defensive performance analysis shows Portland shot 40-of-88 from the field (45.5%). Phoenix shot 39-of-79 (49.4%). Pretty even.
The difference? Free throws. Portland went 17-of-23 (73.9%). Phoenix went 23-of-32 (71.9%). But Portland’s came at bigger moments.
What This Win Means for Portland
The Blazers clinched the No. 7 seed. They’ll face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
That’s a huge deal. Portland was written off by almost everyone before the season started. People said they were too young. Too injured. Not ready.
They proved everyone wrong.
The NBA standings impact after the game was massive. Portland went from fighting for their lives to getting a fresh playoff series. San Antonio is tough. But the Blazers have momentum.
Phoenix? They have to win another play-in game just to make the playoffs. They’ll host the winner of Clippers-Warriors. Win that, and they face Oklahoma City. Lose, and they go home.
One game. Everything on the line.
Three Key Takeaways from This Instant Classic
Let’s wrap this up with three big lessons.
1. Deni Avdija is a star.
Forty-one points in a play-in game is no joke. He carried Portland when nobody else could score. His and-1 with 16 seconds left was cold-blooded. The Trail Blazers’ top scorers list now has a new name at the top.
2. The Suns need more depth.
Jalen Green scored 35. Booker had 22. The rest of the team combined for 53 points. That’s not enough in a win-or-go-home game. Phoenix’s bench was invisible for long stretches.
3. Defense wins play-in games.
Portland forced 23 turnovers. They grabbed 12 steals. They blocked 4 shots. The game highlights and key moments will show the offense. But the defense won this game.
What’s Next for Both Teams?
Portland heads to San Antonio. Game 1 is on Sunday. The Spurs are the No. 2 seed for a reason. They’re deep. They’re experienced. They’re well-coached.
But the Blazers have nothing to lose. That makes them dangerous.
Phoenix gets one more chance. They’ll host a win-or-go-home game on Friday. Win that, and they face Oklahoma City. Lose, and the season is over.
The NBA match on April 14, 2026, results showed just how wild the play-in tournament can be. One night. Two games. Two thrillers.
The Hornets beat the Heat in overtime. 127-126. LaMelo Ball hit the game-winner. Miles Bridges blocked the final shot.
April basketball is the best basketball.
Final Thoughts: Why This Game Mattered
The trail blazers vs suns match result in 2026 will be remembered for years.
Not because of the stats. Not because of the highlights. Because of the heart.
Portland was down 11 points in the fourth quarter. They could have quit. Nobody would have blamed them. They were on the road. The crowd was against them. The stars weren’t playing well.
But they didn’t quit.
They kept fighting. Kept believing. Kept grinding.
That’s what makes sports special. That’s why we watch. That’s why we care.
The Suns vs Blazers box score on April 14 will fade. The memories won’t.
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns 114-110 in the NBA play-in tournament. Deni Avdija led all scorers with 41 points.
Deni Avdija scored 41 points on 15-of-22 shooting. He also added 12 assists and 8 rebounds in the win.
Phoenix started the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 93-83 lead. But they couldn’t hold on. Portland outscored them 31-28 in the final period.
The Trail Blazers clinched the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. They advanced to face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Suns fell to the No. 8 seed in the play-in game.
You can find the complete suns vs blazers box score from April 14 on NBA.com, ESPN, or CBS Sports. The game summary includes all player statistics, shooting percentages, and advanced metrics.
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