Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers Picks and Predictions for Wednesday October 21 2026
Portland went out and got Ja Morant to play alongside Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday. Well, that’ll be interesting. You’ve got three guards who know what they’re doing with the ball, and at least two of them are used to running the show. Somebody’s going to have to give a little. Maybe it works right away. Maybe they spend the first couple of weeks figuring out whose turn it is. Either way, I’m not laying 4.5 points with Portland just because the names look good on paper.
Phoenix comes into Moda Center on Wednesday, October 21, with tipoff at 10:00 PM ET. The Trail Blazers are favored by 4.5 points, and the total is 235.5. Portland is around -175 on the moneyline. Check out our free NBA picks for more predictions.
Phoenix Suns Have To Shoot Better
Phoenix looked pretty rough against San Antonio in preseason. The Spurs beat them 123-103, and the Suns couldn’t get much going. They were 1-3 heading into their last exhibition game against Utah. I don’t put a ton of stock in preseason records, but when a team keeps missing open shots, you notice. Phoenix needs to come out Wednesday and get some baskets early. Otherwise, Portland’s crowd is going to be all over them.
The Suns have enough offensive talent to score, but they’ve got to quit making things difficult on themselves. Move the ball. Get into the paint. Make the defense work instead of standing around waiting for somebody to hit a contested jumper. Portland has Holiday, and he’ll make life miserable for somebody if Phoenix gets careless. Morant can turn a bad pass into a layup at the other end, too. The Suns need to keep their turnovers down. They’re not going to win a track meet if they spend half the night giving Portland free possessions.
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Dillon Brooks is going to have his hands full with Portland’s guards. That’s the kind of matchup he likes, though. He’s physical, he’ll get in somebody’s face, and he doesn’t mind being the guy everybody in the building is booing. Phoenix could use Luke Kennard’s shooting, but he’s been dealing with a sore knee. The Suns need somebody knocking down threes when Portland starts packing the paint. If they can’t do that, the offense could get ugly in a hurry.
Portland Trail Blazers Have Plenty Of Talent
Portland lost to Golden State 128-118 in its last preseason game. Nobody’s going to lose sleep over that one. The Trail Blazers have a lot of new pieces, and the coaches were still trying to figure out which combinations work. Morant and Lillard are the big story. Both can score in bunches, and both can take over a game. But basketball isn’t played with two balls. That’s the part Portland has to sort out.
The Trail Blazers should get plenty of points when Morant gets into the lane. He’s quick enough to beat his man, and when the defense comes over, somebody’s going to be open. Lillard is the obvious guy you don’t want to leave standing alone. Holiday doesn’t need 20 shots to be useful, and that’s probably going to help this group. What I want to see is how they defend. Portland gave up 128 to Golden State in preseason, and Phoenix has enough scorers to make them pay if they start losing people on switches.
Shaedon Sharpe is out with a torn meniscus, which takes away some scoring and athleticism. Scoot Henderson has been dealing with health problems, too. So Portland is going to lean on its veterans early. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Lillard and Holiday have been through just about everything this league can throw at a player. Morant brings a different kind of energy. But getting everybody comfortable takes time, and Wednesday is the first real test.
Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers Picks and Predictions
Phoenix Suns +4.5 (-110)
I’m taking Phoenix and the points. Portland might win this game. I wouldn’t be surprised if Morant has a big night and Lillard knocks down a few ridiculous threes. But I’m not giving the Trail Blazers four and a half points before I’ve seen this new backcourt play a regular-season game together. Phoenix has enough scoring to hang around, and Brooks can make things uncomfortable defensively. The Suns haven’t shot well in preseason, and that’s the part that worries me. If they come out cold, Portland could run them right out of the building. I’ll take my chances that Phoenix makes enough shots to keep this close.
Under 235.5 Points (-110)
Give me under 235.5. I know, Portland has Morant and Lillard. That’s a lot of offense. But those guys are still figuring each other out, and Phoenix hasn’t exactly been lighting it up from outside. I think we’ll see some possessions where Portland takes a bad shot because somebody’s trying to make something happen on his own. Phoenix will have a few of those, too. The danger is obvious. Morant gets loose, the game speeds up, and both teams start trading baskets. That could kill this bet pretty quickly. But I don’t think the shooting is going to be good enough for both clubs to get past 235.5. I’ll call it 116-113.
Final Picks: Phoenix Suns +4.5 (-110) and Under 235.5 Points (-110)
This preview was completed October 20, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, starting lineups, and other game information may change before tipoff.
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