National Basketball Association

Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trailblazers Preview: Players To Watch

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The young Phoenix Suns will take on the Portland Trailblazers in their third game of the 2016-17 preseason.

This will be yet another chance for the Phoenix Suns to see what their combination of young talents and veteran pieces can do. The first two games have been underwhelming performances.

The Suns will still be without P.J. Tucker, meaning the Suns young forwards will continue to get extra minutes.

Portland will be led at small forward by their new players: Evan Turner. That will make for an interesting matchup for the recently crowned Suns starter at SF, T.J. Warren.

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Allen Crabbe was a major investment for the Trailblazers last year as well, in a move that probably surprised many fans. Crabbe signed for $75 million dollars over 4 seasons.

That is huge money for a shooting guard that averaged 10.3 point per game. Devin Booker certainly looks at that contract and smiles. Three years and you will get paid Booker.

The most questionable part of the signing for Portland is their current roster construction: they already have two top-notch guards in Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Portland is accepting that they will have to play the 6-foot-6 Crabbe at small forward. If he can do it, Booker can do it.

Portland’s guards will be the ones to watch in this game on their side. Last season Lillard exploded and finished with 25.1 points per game, good for 6th in the NBA. McCollum, their starting shooting guard, averaged 20.8 points per game.

The Suns will get a matchup of a team similar to them: young, hungry, and with talented guards. Portland is much further along in their rebuild, but the Suns can use them as hope for the future. They’re had success with their two top scorers being their point guard and their shooting guard.

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