Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers Live Streaming

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10:00 pm EDT Thu Apr 22, 2010

It has been that kind of season for the Portland Trail Blazers: Hope for the best but expect the worst. On Wednesday, the oft-injured Blazers got some better-than-expected news about starting forward Nicolas Batum. An MRI showed he strained his right shoulder and was questionable for Game 3 of the first-round playoff series between the Blazers and the Suns. The resilient Blazers claimed the opening game of the series 105-100 in Phoenix, but fell back in a 119-90 loss on Tuesday night. Batum injured his shoulder in the second half when he went after a loose ball and appeared to bang his shoulder into Suns guard Steve Nash’s shoulder. The injury was of particular concern because Batum, the team’s primary perimeter defender, had surgery on the shoulder just before the opener and missed the first 45 games of the season.

McMillan said he even took his cell phone with him to team meetings Wednesday morning, something he normally doesn’t do, fearing the worst. The playoff series continues with Game 3 on Thursday night at the Rose Garden. Batum said if it were up to him, he’d play. The Blazers were already hurting without All-Star guard Brandon Roy, who tore the meniscus in his right knee and had arthroscopic surgery two days before the playoffs got under way. Roy was expected to be sidelined for one to two weeks. McMillan has said he wouldn’t be available until the second round at the earliest. But Roy actually did some shooting at practice Wednesday, and says his knee feels good. So good that he wouldn’t rule out returning if the series with the Suns goes the distance. The Suns practiced in Phoenix early Wednesday before heading to Portland. While the Blazers were able to effectively slow down the Suns in Game 1, Phoenix effectively slowed them in the second. One reason was the Suns’ defense of Andre Miller. The duty was passed from Jason Richardson over to Grant Hill.