Phoenix Suns: 3 Keys in Getting Revenge Against Portland Trail Blazers

Phoenix Suns Keys to Victory vs Trail Blazers: Hit Open Shots

The Suns enter this bout shooting 47.5 percent from the field, the second highest by team right now. Against Portland, they need to keep that up, and maybe even raise it depending on how well they defend the triple.

The Blazers currently own a 77.8 defensive rebound percentage, the highest mark across the entire NBA. That means nobody grabs missed shots by their opponents at a higher rate than them. In agreement with that, Portland also averages just 10.3 opponent second chance points per game, another top five mark.

Portland clearly works hard to make sure their opponents only put one shot up during each possession, making it imperative for the Suns to cash in on their few looks—especially the open ones.

First and foremost, Paul needs to step up, as he shot 2-5 against the Blazers last time out. Although a shooting night like that does not warrant too much criticism, it feels inclined to expect more from the typically hyper-efficient CP3. Jae Crowder also must improve on his outing from before, where he shot a team-worst 2-7 from the field.

However, Booker embodies the biggest difference maker with regard to this key to success for the Suns. Currently shooting 44.6 percent from the field, he remains on pace to put up his least efficient season since the 2017-18 campaign. He also shot a decent, but still unimpressive 9-19 during Phoenix’s last game against Portland. If the Suns want to win this contest, he needs to get back on track.