Blazers Summer League Team Plays Nail-Biter versus Suns
Blazer's Edge • • sports
Key Points:
- The Portland Trail Blazers lost 81-79 to the Phoenix Suns in their 2026 NBA Summer League opener, despite holding a 14-point halftime lead and missing a last-second buzzer-beater.
- DJ Steward led Portland with 21 points, while Yang Hansen, the team's 2025 first-round pick, contributed 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists but also had 4 turnovers.
- Phoenix's bench was led by former Blazers two-way player Javonte Cook with 21 points, alongside 2025 top-10 pick Khaman Maluach (19 points) and 2026 pick Koa Peat (17 points).
- The game featured low shooting percentages in the first half, with both teams struggling from the field and beyond the arc, but improved in the second half, finishing above 36% shooting overall.
- The NBA’s one free throw rule was in effect, but normal free throw rules applied in the final two minutes, including a critical miss by Suns' Darius Brown III that gave Portland a chance to win, which they failed to capitalize on.
