The Suns grabbed the seventh seed in the West with a 45-37 record. They will play the Portland Trail Blazers, who are the eighth seed by virtue of winning a tiebreaker over the LA Clippers. Each of those teams finished with 42-40 records.
NBA betting odds have Phoenix as a 4-point favorite with the total set at 217. The Suns won the season series, 2-1, taking both games in Portland. Phoenix has the experience edge in the postseason, and that could be a difference-maker. Portland is 7-3 in its last 10; Phoenix is 5-5.
Pick: Suns -4 points