The Phoenix Suns visit the Portland Trail Blazers for a Western Conference showdown on Tuesday. Phoenix is on the second night of a back-to-back set following a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. Portland is on normal rest, with an 11-16 overall record and a 10-5 mark at home. Devin Booker (hamstring) is expected to remain sidelined for the Suns, while Deandre Ayton (illness) will be available. CJ McCollum (lung) and Cody Zeller (knee) are out for Portland.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Phoenix as a 2.5-point road favorite for this 10 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over-under, is 218 in the latest Suns vs. Blazers odds. Before locking in any Blazers vs. Suns picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 9 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 44-20 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning over $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Suns vs. Trail Blazers and just locked in its NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Trail Blazers vs. Suns:
- Suns vs. Blazers spread: Suns -2.5
- Suns vs. Blazers over-under: 218 points
- Suns vs. Blazers money line: Suns -145, Blazers +125
- PHX: The Suns are 1-4 against the spread with no days off this season
- POR: The Blazers are 8-7 against the spread in home games
Why the Suns can cover
Phoenix's stellar win-loss record paints an accurate picture of how dominant the Suns have been. The Suns rank in the top eight of the NBA in offensive rating, posting top-five marks in field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage and assists. Portland is currently the third-worst defensive team in the NBA, making it easier to project high-end efficiency for the Suns. Phoenix is a top-10 team in both turnover prevention and creation this season, winning the possession battle on a nightly basis.
On defense, Phoenix is elite, ranking in the top three in both overall efficiency and field-goal percentage allowed. The Suns are also No. 1 in the NBA in 2-point percentage allowed, with opponents making less than half of attempts inside the arc. Phoenix also ranks in the top eight in assists allowed, turnover creation rate, and steals.
Why the Blazers can cover
Portland has simply been a different and better team when playing at Moda Center. The Blazers are 10-5 at home this season, out-scoring opponents by 3.8 points per 100 possessions. That would be a top-10 level in the NBA when carrying over into a large sample, and Portland has a 112.4 offensive rating and a 57.8 percent true shooting mark in 2021-22 home games.
On the whole, the Blazers are very potent on offense, including top-10 marks in 3-pointers (13.0 per game) and 2-point shooting accuracy (53.1 percent). Portland is also above-average in free-throw creation, generating 20.5 attempts per game, and the Blazers are committing only 13.8 turnovers per game this season. Portland may also be able to attack the offensive glass with effectiveness, as Phoenix lands below the NBA's average in defensive rebound rate.
How to make Blazers vs. Suns picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total as the teams combine for 217 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Suns vs. Blazers? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
