Blazers Blaze Trails, Suns to Host Portland at Footprint Center
As the Portland Trail Blazers prepare to face off against the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center, fans are eager to see if their team can maintain their recent momentum. The Blazers have shown a mix of outcomes in their past performances, but there's a noticeable uptick in their game that could spell trouble for Phoenix.
In their last outing against the San Antonio Spurs, Portland emerged victorious with a high-scoring 134-128 win. Their offensive prowess was on full display as they shot an impressive 50 percent from the field and an even more remarkable 59 percent from beyond the arc. This sharpshooting contributed to an offensive rating of 127.8 points per possession and a true shooting percentage of 63 percent.
However, consistency has been an issue for Portland as evidenced by their performance just one game prior against those same Spurs. In that matchup, they struggled mightily with only a 35 percent field goal percentage and were outscored by thirteen points overall.
The Trail Blazers did bounce back impressively in another recent game where they dominated the Sacramento Kings with a scoreline of 130-113. They showed balance across the board with solid defense complementing their offense—posting an offensive rating of nearly 129 points per possession while limiting Sacramento to just over one point per possession defensively.
As we look ahead to this upcoming clash, it's clear that when Portland hits its stride offensively and finds rhythm from deep, they can be formidable opponents. The key will be whether they can replicate these high-efficiency performances consistently—especially on Phoenix's home court.
Fans should expect an energetic contest where three-point shooting could very well dictate who comes out on top. With both teams looking to assert themselves early in January, this is set up to be quite the showdown under Arizona skies.
The action unfolds on January 2nd at Footprint Center in Phoenix; tip-off is scheduled for local time (US/Arizona). Fans can catch all the excitement live on ROOT Sports NW+ channel 687-1 or tune into AZFamily network if cheering from home territory.