Game Thread 2026 NBA PLAY-IN #1 - BLAZERS @ SUNS - APRIL 14, 2026 - TUESDAY - 7:00 PM - PRIME - SIRIUS XM

[AldoTrapani]

I’ll own this one. I would have sooner but I was banned for hours for whatever reason.

I was way too pessimistic about the game tonight. I expected them to to lose and let this one slip, but they proved me wrong. They played with way more energy and execution toward the end than I gave them credit for and closed it out strong. Good reminder that this team’s got more fight than I sometimes assume

 

[Sedatedfork]

That was the most fun I have had watching a blazer game in years.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Aldo right now.

Lol

 

[1 Eye Jack]

Great game, thought we blew, thought the refs were screwing is and definitely thought we were going to lose with 6 minutes to go. But this team is so resilient and Deni went full star mode! Haven’t watched a game with that kind of intensity meaning my intensity in a long time.

Hell I was still nervous after Grants dunk, as a former low level coach I’m yelling no just take the win run out the clock. Then they unbounded ball and shot and Murray tried to block it. Only way we could lose that game was right there, miracle shot goes in and Murray is called for a foul. Sorry I went off deep in at end of this post lol

 

[tlongII]

I’ll own this one. I would have sooner but I was banned for hours for whatever reason.

I was way too pessimistic about the game tonight. I expected them to to lose and let this one slip, but they proved me wrong. They played with way more energy and execution toward the end than I gave them credit for and closed it out strong. Good reminder that this team’s got more fight than I sometimes assume

Sometimes???

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

I have to admit I was ambivalent about a 42-40 team making the playoffs. Like, what's the use? But I just picked up a new book (Moses And The Doctor, by Luke Eplin) at my local library and was reminded of some NBA history. In 1980/1981 the Houston Rockets were 42-40, yet they still made it to NBA finals that season, losing to the Celtics in 6 games. Granted that team had Moses Malone, but they were a "win ugly" group of mismatched parts that put it all together when it mattered. I don't exactly equate us to that team, but they proved that it can be done. I like the make up of our young core, and even if we get bounced in the first round these guys are going to learn good shit and know how to respond going forward. Last night was huge for our future, especially when you look at the wreckage this team crawled out of. The ghost of Neil Olshey has been expunged. and as long as we're in it, we have a shot.......

 

[inconceivable]

Fox Scoot. SAS
Castle Jrue. POR
Vasell Avdija. POT
Champagne Camara. POR
Wemby Clingan. SAS
Bench. SAS

 

[Hoopguru]

Last night we shot 47 3's at 36%. Deni, Grant & Jrue offset Camaras bad night form 3. Many are critical of what Grant gives the team but he and Tou are the two best 3point shooters we have., and JG delivered from three last night, 50%. Jrue was good as well at 38%.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

We just had a reverse ending to that dreaded game in 2000. Glad we were on the winning end of it!

 

[Pinwheel1]

Last night we shot 47 3's at 36%. Deni, Grant & Jrue offset Camaras bad night form 3. Many are critical of what Grant gives the team but he and Tou are the two best 3point shooters we have., and JG delivered from three last night, 50%. Jrue was good as well at 38%.

Interesting that we are near the bottom of the league in 3pt shooting, yet we have 5 players (Not counting Reath and Youngblood) shooting over 37%.
(3 more around 35 %) I think the potential is there. We just don't have a Dame like 3pt shooter who shoots it so well off the dribble

 

[Everything Beagle]

Coach is 43-39 so far this year, even a sweep puts him at .500 in his first year of head coaching. He deserves to stay.

 

[wizenheimer]

That was the most fun I have had watching a blazer game in years.

well, it was the first post-season game since June 3, 2021....

 

[blazerfan11]

Final 3:10 of the game. Suns lead 105-99 at the beginning of the video.

 

[THE HCP]

Crazy thing is, those stats won’t count for Deni.

 

[THE HCP]

I always wondered how crazy it would be if somebody score 101 points in one of the play in games.

 

[RR7]

I always wondered how crazy it would be if somebody score 101 points in one of the play in games.

I was thinking about the same thing yesterday

 

[THE HCP]

I was thinking about the same thing yesterday

We’re you naked in the shower listening to Great White’s greatest hits like I was!!!???

 

[wizenheimer]

so, Blazers were 12-27 on three's in the first half (44.4%). Then they went 1-16 on three's for the first 19+ minutes of the 2nd half (6.3%). And then, 4-4 on three's in the last 4:49 (Jrue->Deni->Grant->Grant). Timing was everything

Blazers had 4 turnovers in 1st half; had 11 in the 2nd half and several were bonehead turnovers. That would have cost them the game except for the 4-4 on three's

Clingan only scored 2 points. But he had 11 rebounds in 28 minutes with 6 on offense, and they were important 2nd chances. He also had 4 assists with no turnovers, 3 blocks, a steal, and only 2 personal fouls. Yeah, he had the flagrant against Brooks but that only shows that there needs to be a stat for pest control. The Clingan/Timelord rotation shot like shit but combined for 18 rebs, 9 on offense; 5 assists vs 0 turnovers,; 4 blocks; 2 steals. The Suns just didn't have that kind of impact in the paint and I think it was decisive

it sure seems that sometimes NBA coaches are more concerned about what could go wrong rather than what is going wrong. Deni was slicing and dicing the Suns' standard defenses, both their man-on-man and zone. They kept playing Deni straight up and he spent the game going downhill. Maybe....probably....it's because Deni hasn't proven enough that straight-up defenses won't work. He sure made the case last night.

By Dame's 3rd season in the league teams gave up on trying to guard him straight-up. He torched those defenses enough that opposing coaches knew it wasn't going to work. So they flexed their defenses toward ball-denial, and then trapping and double teams. Deni may be a little harder to double because of his size, but I do expect some different looks from the Spurs. Of course, they do have the ultimate back-stop with Wemby

 

[Pinwheel1]

I just watched the final 6+ minutes for the 3rd time. Got to love the intensity in the postseason. That was fun.
The refs had a tough job.

I listened to NBA radio yesterday when they were talking about Deni.
They love him, but wondered if postseason officiating would hurt his ability to get the calls since the officials let a lot of contact go. Turned out he did not need the calls as he made 15 FGs.

As I watched the game, I could not help but notice that while they did let some physical play go, they also called some ticky-tack fouls as well. Again, it was not an easy game to officiate. Hopefully, they will allow us to get physical with Wemby, but I am not too confident about that.

 

[wizenheimer]

I just watched the final 6+ minutes for the 3rd time. Got to love the intensity in the postseason. That was fun.
The refs had a tough job.

I listened to NBA radio yesterday when they were talking about Deni.
They love him, but wondered if postseason officiating would hurt his ability to get the calls since the officials let a lot of contact go. Turned out he did not need the calls as he made 15 FGs.

As I watched the game, I could not help but notice that while they did let some physical play go, they also called some ticky-tack fouls as well. Again, it was not an easy game to officiate. Hopefully, they will allow us to get physical with Wemby, but I am not too confident about that.

Wemby has a rib contusion. I guarantee that the officials will be hyper-sensitive to Portland appearing to take 'shots' at Wemby's ribs. It will be a no-elbow zone near French rib-cages.

 

[PCmor7]

Final 3:10 of the game. Suns lead 105-99 at the beginning of the video.

You know, a couple of other things here that got lost in the excitement and so many big plays and efforts last night.

I think we'd cut it to 3 earlier and IIRC that was right before Clingan got called for the flagrant foul and I wondered if that would deflate us, losing our poise like that, and I think we immediately got back down again close to 10, but we fought back.

Then, after Jrue threw that pass into traffic and it got deflected and stolen, the Suns got Shaedon isolated on Booker, and Shaedon stoned him, like forced him into a 17-foot fallaway that was well short, and it makes you think what Shaedon might be capable of being defensively. Booker got two feet into the paint more easily against Camara a little later.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I’ll own this one. I would have sooner but I was banned for hours for whatever reason.

You troll game threads waaaay too much. You were completely silent when the Blazers were going on runs, and then nothing but post after post of negative bullshit when they weren't.

It gets old fast.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Wemby has a rib contusion. I guarantee that the officials will be hyper-sensitive to Portland appearing to take 'shots' at Wemby's ribs. It will be a no-elbow zone near French rib-cages.

RELEASE THE YANG!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[AldoTrapani]

You troll game threads waaaay too much. You were completely silent when the Blazers were going on runs, and then nothing but post after post of negative bullshit when they weren't.

It gets old fast.

My fault sly

 

[PCmor7]

Prepping for that game of 1-on-1 vs. Keljin Blevins next year.

 

[LayneStaley]

A little off topic but watching the game last night I kept thinking about Dame sitting outside waiting for a pass on some of those Deni drives and hitting wide open 3s. Question is do we think Dame is gonna accept and adapt to not having the ball in his hands for a lot of the game? The offense should run through Deni imo.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

View attachment 83874

Saying that’s the best we shot all year sounds like sour grapes. Like he’s saying we just magically had the best game of the year and that’s what it took for us to win. It’s not the best we’ve shot.

 

[blazerfan11]

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

A little off topic but watching the game last night I kept thinking about Dame sitting outside waiting for a pass on some of those Deni drives and hitting wide open 3s. Question is do we think Dame is gonna accept and adapt to not having the ball in his hands for a lot of the game? The offense should run through Deni imo.

I'd like to think that Dame is seeing himself as the wide open recipient of Deni's passes when the defense collapsing on Deni, instead of being the guy getting collapsed upon....and shut down. Seems like Deni is going to open things up for Dame to shoot more, Which is more suitable to Dame's age and current physical limitations. Or at least we can hope......