The Phoenix Suns (2-1) will play their second consecutive preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers (1-2) at home tonight. It will also be Phoenix’s final preseason game at home.
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Local Game Information
Start Time: 7 p.m. MST
Location: Footprint Center
TV Channel: 3TV/AZ Family
Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, La Mejor 106.5 FM
Stream: Suns Live (click for more info)
Join us downtown tonight!
🆚 @trailblazers
📍 @FootprintCNTR
📺 @azfamily
📻 @AZSports | @az_mejor
🎟️ https://t.co/JDOMpaCvsU pic.twitter.com/8kIM9BFXDS— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 16, 2023
Who’s in and Who’s Out for the Suns
The Suns will only be missing Eric Gordon (hip tightness), Ish Wainright and Damion Lee due to injury. Wainright (right calf strain) and Lee (right meniscus injury + surgery) have missed the Suns’ first three preseason games as well.
Jusuf Nurkić and Yuta Watanabe are resting tonight for the Suns.
"Jusuf Nurkic, Eric Gordon, and Yuta Watanabe are not playing tonight vs Portland." – Frank Vogel
— Burn City Suns Talk 🎙️ (@BurnCitySuns) October 17, 2023
Drew Eubanks (ankle) will play after missing last game. Bradley Beal (lower back tightness) will also play after missing last game. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are also playing for the first time in front of the home crowd this season.
Starters
Phoenix Suns: Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant, Drew Eubanks
Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara, Jabari Walker, Duop Reath
Storyline
Deandre Ayton will be resting for the Blazers tonight, so he won’t be making his debut as a visitor at Footprint Center. The Suns’ home crowd gets to see Beal, Booker and Durant play together in a game after getting a tease of them at yesterday’s open practice.
Deandre Ayton is resting tonight for the Trail Blazers, so he won’t be playing in front of the #Suns crowd for the first time as a visitor. Toumani Camara will start against the Suns. All per #Blazers’ coach Chauncey Billups
— Burn City Suns Talk 🎙️ (@BurnCitySuns) October 17, 2023
The Suns defeated the Blazers 122-111 last time out on Thursday behind big performances by Gordon (20 points), Booker (18 points), Jusuf Nurkić (17 points) and Durant (16 points). After trailing by three after the first quarter, Phoenix’s offense exploded, and these four players helped the team go into halftime with a 76-55 lead.
The Blazers played one more game since, falling to the Jazz 138-133 on Saturday. Ayton did not play in this game. Guards Scoot Henderson (No. 3 overall pick) and Anfernee Simons, who will rest tonight, have been the two standouts for Portland so far this preseason.
There will once again be a lot of emotions for a preseason game because of all these factors, as the full Suns’ team looks to show the home crowd what they’re capable of.
After this game, the next time Suns’ fans will get to see their team at home is their regular season home opener on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. MST against the Utah Jazz.
What Did Deandre Ayton Have to Say about his First Game Back in Phoenix?
(Ayton will not play after all)
See all the action happening at 7 p.m. tonight!
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
