Portland Trail Blazers

A Pacific Northwest opponent the Suns defeated in six games during the 2010 First Round.

The Portland Trail Blazers were a Western Conference opponent for the Phoenix Suns during the 2009–10 season. In the playoffs, the Suns defeated the Trail Blazers in six games in the First Round. The Blazers also played a preseason game at Memorial Coliseum on October 14, 2009, against the Suns, who won 110–104 with 11,740 tickets sold. All tickets for that game were $19.70 to represent the team's inaugural 1970 season.

Quick Facts

Conference: Western
Division: Northwest
Founded: 1970
History: Portland Trail Blazers; 1970–present
Arena: Moda Center
Location: Portland, Oregon
Sponsor: Vacant
President: Dewayne Hankins

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

The 2009–10 season saw the Suns and Blazers meet in the playoffs, with Phoenix winning the series 4–2. The series began on April 18 and ended on April 29 when the Suns defeated the Blazers in Game 6. Earlier that season, the Blazers played a preseason game at Memorial Coliseum on October 14, 2009, as part of their 40th-year celebration. Team founder Harry Glickman, former players Jerome Kersey, Terry Porter, and Bob Gross, as well as broadcaster Bill Schonely attended. The Suns won 110–104. The Blazers' regular season average points scored was 98.4, average points allowed was 95.2, and they led the NBA in attendance at 716,666 (20,476 per game).

Reader's Guide

When the Suns faced the Blazers in the 2010 First Round, they met a team that had endured heavy injuries. Key players lost for the season included Greg Oden (broken left patella, December 5) and Joel Przybilla (dislocated right patella and ruptured patellar tendon, December 22). Brandon Roy missed time with a strained hamstring (January 2) and later had arthroscopic knee surgery (April 11), returning for the playoffs on April 24. The Blazers also dealt with other injuries: Patrick Mills (broken foot, July 9), Jeff Pendergraph (congenital hip disorder surgery, September 9), Nicolas Batum (right shoulder muscle tear surgery, October 30), Travis Outlaw (broken left foot, November 14, traded February 16), Rudy Fernández (sciatic nerve damage surgery, December 8), and coach Nate McMillan (ruptured right Achilles tendon, December 5, returned December 15). The Suns won the series in six games.

Did You Know?

The Blazers led the NBA in attendance for the 2009–10 season, drawing 716,666 fans (20,476 per game).
Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla both suffered season-ending knee injuries on December 5 and December 22, 2009, respectively.
Brandon Roy was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played March 8–14, 2010.
Coach Nate McMillan ruptured his right Achilles tendon on December 5, 2009, and returned to the bench on December 15.