Portland Trail Blazers: 5 keys to winning season opener vs. Phoenix Suns

Here is a list of five things Portland Trail Blazers need to do in order to defeat the Phoenix Suns in their 2017-18 NBA regular season opener.

The Portland Trail Blazers will soon begin the 2017-18 NBA regular season with a Wednesday night contest on the road against the Phoenix Suns, and it’s currently shaping out to be an incredibly entertaining battle.

These two teams have already faced each other twice in the preseason, splitting the series 1-1. Portland will be going into the desert in hopes of starting off the season on the right foot, while the Suns will be looking to defend home court on opening night.

The main factor that’s likely to significantly effect the outcome of this game: the absence of C.J. McCollum. In case you missed it or were unaware: the Rip City shooting guard was suspended without pay for one game after stepping onto the court during an altercation between teammate Caleb Swanigan and Suns center Alex Len.

But just because the Blazers are heading into Phoenix shorthanded, it doesn’t mean that the odds are completely stacked against them. Let’s take a look at five things the Blazers need to do to come out of their season opener with a win.