Suns Waiting on Two Teams for Play-In Matchup

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns, in just two days' time, will be hosting a play-in tournament game, though their opponent has yet to be finalized.

The Suns have been locked into the seventh spot for some time now, though the West's temporary eight seed is still up for grabs between the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland beat Los Angeles earlier this weekend and can secure the eighth spot with a win over the Sacramento Kings tonight. The Clippers battle the Golden State Warriors with all three matchups (including Phoenix) beginning at 5:30 PM AZ time.

Speaking with reporters earlier in the week, Suns forward Dillon Brooks believes Phoenix will ultimately play Portland.

"They're big. They play well in the paint which we've struggled against but we'll find a way. We'll have to go after their mismatches and the different things they present that they're weak at and exploit it," Brooks said.

The Suns won their season series against Portland 2-1, both wins for Phoenix coming with point totals of 127 and 130, respectively. Their lone loss to the Trail Blazers saw them score an eye-opening 77 points back on Feb. 22.

The Clippers and Suns split their season series 2-2. Those battles have been mostly defensive as just once in any of their four matchups did a team eclipse higher than 115 points.

Regardless of who it is, the Suns appear locked and ready — especially after defying all outside expectations from preseason.

"I've been here before. I might have the most playoff experience on the team. I live for these moments," Devin Booker told reporters this week.

"I'm looking forward to the play-in, this is what you train all summer for. This is what situations that I imagine myself in, in the summer. Not time to shy away from it."

Should Phoenix win on Tuesday, regardless of opponent, they'll be secured into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and will face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

If the Suns lost their first play-in tournament game, they'll play a second matchup against the winner of the 9/10 seeded matchup for the eighth and final playoff spot.

No team has ever failed to make the playoffs as the No. 7 seed. Only twice as the seventh spot lost their opening game, but they're 2-0 in the following matchup to clinch the eighth seed.