Suns Aim for Playoff Glory as Home Teams Dominate in NBA Play-In Tournament
The NBA's Play-In Tournament kicks off Tuesday night with two pivotal games, featuring No. 10 Miami at No. 9 Charlotte in the East at 7:30 ET, followed by No. 8 Portland at No. 7 Phoenix at 10 ET, both available on Prime Video. This article primarily focuses on the Blazers-Suns matchup, where historically the No. 7 seeds have an impressive 8-2 record in these contests. Key Highlights: DraftKings Tuesday Play-In parlay: - Heat-Hornets Alt Over 217.5 - Suns ML vs. Blazers The Miami Heat have a wealth of experience in the Play-In, having participated in six games, boasting four wins—the best record in the tournament's history. Despite their recent struggles, Miami aims to leverage their playoff experience against the Hornets, who have shown substantial improvement, going 28-10 since January 22. The Hornets, however, have yet to win a Play-In game. On the other hand, Portland seeks its first playoff appearance since the 2020-21 season. With a poor away record of 18-23 and the worst offensive rating among playoff teams, their journey has been challenging, especially under interim head coach Tiago Splitter. Phoenix has also exceeded expectations this season, marking their first Play-In game in franchise history. The Suns, led by Devin Booker, who averages 28.0 points per playoff game, hold a 2-1 advantage in the season series against the Blazers and are 10-2 at home in their last 12 meetings. A victory for the Suns would position them against West No. 2 San Antonio in the playoffs, while the loser faces the winner of Warriors-Clippers for the eighth seed. With the Suns heavily favored at -700 to secure a playoff spot, the stakes are high as the tournament unfolds.
Source: CBS Sports - 2026-04-14