Suns host Morant-less Blazers after 41-point opening-night rout

The Phoenix Suns get their rematch with the Portland Trail Blazers, the team that routed them on opening night. On 21 October, Portland raced to a 21-0 lead and won 124-83. The second meeting is in Phoenix, and the market sees a much closer game, with Portland priced at 58%.

Portland has climbed into the top 10 of NBA.com's power rankings. The Blazers are 5-1 and 4-0 on the road after a 118-110 comeback win in Denver on 2 November, where Deni Avdija scored 28 and Jrue Holiday added 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds off the bench.

They are short-handed, though. Ja Morant is expected to miss at least a month with a hamstring strain, and Shaedon Sharpe (right meniscus) is also out. NBA.com's John Schuhmann found Portland had been far better with one of Morant or Damian Lillard on the floor than with both together, a hint that the absence may hurt less than it looks.

Phoenix is 1-4 after three straight losses, the latest a 116-113 defeat at Golden State in which it led by 17. The Suns rank last in the league in defensive rating, Mark Williams is out after shoulder surgery, and Jordan Goodwin and Rasheer Fleming are questionable. The game opens a seven-game homestand, and the Suns started 1-4 last season too before going 26-13 over their next 39 games.

Is this where Phoenix steadies itself at home, or does Portland's road form carry over?