Portland Trail Blazers

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Lore & Background

The 2009–10 season saw the Suns and Blazers meet in the playoffs, with Phoenix winning the series 4–2. The series began on April 18 and ended on April 29 when the Suns defeated the Blazers in Game 6. Earlier that season, the Blazers played a preseason game at Memorial Coliseum on October 14, 2009, as part of their 40th-year celebration. Team founder Harry Glickman, former players Jerome Kersey, Terry Porter, and Bob Gross, as well as broadcaster Bill Schonely attended. The Suns won 110–104. The Blazers' regular season average points scored was 98.4, average points allowed was 95.2, and they led the NBA in attendance at 716,666 (20,476 per game).

In Their Own Story

The playoff series began on April 18, 2010, with the Blazers hosting the Suns. By April 29, the Suns had closed out the series in Game 6, ending Portland's season. The Blazers had navigated a season marked by significant injuries: Greg Oden broke his left patella on December 5 and was out for the season; Joel Przybilla dislocated his right patella and ruptured his patellar tendon on December 22, also out for the season; Brandon Roy strained his hamstring on January 2 and later had arthroscopic knee surgery on April 11, returning on April 24. Despite these setbacks, the team finished with a +3.2 average point spread.

Reader's Guide

When the Suns faced the Blazers in the 2010 First Round, they met a team that had endured heavy injuries. Key players lost for the season included Greg Oden (broken left patella, December 5) and Joel Przybilla (dislocated right patella and ruptured patellar tendon, December 22). Brandon Roy missed time with a strained hamstring (January 2) and later had arthroscopic knee surgery (April 11), returning for the playoffs on April 24. The Blazers also dealt with other injuries: Patrick Mills (broken foot, July 9), Jeff Pendergraph (congenital hip disorder surgery, September 9), Nicolas Batum (right shoulder muscle tear surgery, October 30), Travis Outlaw (broken left foot, November 14, traded February 16), Rudy Fernández (sciatic nerve damage surgery, December 8), and coach Nate McMillan (ruptured right Achilles tendon, December 5, returned December 15). The Suns won the series in six games.

Did You Know?

• The Suns defeated the Blazers 110–104 in a preseason game at Memorial Coliseum on October 14, 2009, with all tickets priced at $19.70 to honor the Blazers' inaugural 1970 season.
• The Blazers led the NBA in attendance for the 2009–10 season, drawing 716,666 fans (20,476 per game).
• Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla both suffered season-ending knee injuries on December 5 and December 22, 2009, respectively.
• Brandon Roy was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played March 8–14, 2010.
• Coach Nate McMillan ruptured his right Achilles tendon on December 5, 2009, and returned to the bench on December 15.