NBA: 8 most anticipated matchups of the second-half schedule

Notable NBA games to look forward to in the second half of the schedule: May 13, Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns

Two very solid teams duking it out in their final game of the season. The Phoenix Suns have been one of the leagues worst for what feels like a century, but with the recent additions of 2021 All-Star Chris Paul and Jae Crowder coupled with the steady progression of young stars DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges under head coach Monty Williams, the Suns have finally reached the competitive level.

And you can’t talk about the Suns without mentioning franchise centerpiece Devin Booker whose 26 ppg has been leading Phoenix closer to the promised land. The team is certainly a fun one to watch and what better a matchup to witness than a game against not only a conference rival but a team also fighting for seeding in the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers, thanks to Damian Lillard, are always a competitive team in the regular season. However, with the loss of CJ McCollum for an extended period of time, who was having one of his best seasons to date, Portland finds itself at a noticeable disadvantage. McCollum isn’t the only key piece of Portland to be sidelined with starting center Jusuf Nurkic among others also out with injury.

A weakened Portland roster up against a hungry Suns squad looking to prove themselves with both teams in a race for higher seeding. No game is a guarantee with Dame-Time Lillard on the floor, so expect several lead changes and very narrow gaps in scoring from what is looking to be a nail biter of a season finale.