The Coach's NBA LATE SHOW SPECIAL!
(NBA) Phoenix vs. Portland,
Point Spread: -7.50 | 100.00 Portland (Home)
Result: Win
The Portland Trailblazers will host the Phoenix Suns on Monday, and this looks like a tough spot for the visitors. Last night they blew a big first half lead, allowing Oklahoma City to rally and win a game that almost certainly kills any hope for Phoenix to make the playoffs. Playing on the road just 24 hours later, it's unlikely we'll see a great effort from the Suns.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Home Cookin' - The Trailblazers own the second best home record in the West (29-7), and they won by 21 points when the Suns visited Portland earlier this year.

2. Fatigue - This isn't just the second game in as many nights for Phoenix, it's also their third game in four nights. Coming off three straight losses, we could see a tired team in Portland tonight. They certainly didn't appear to have a lot of energy in the second half of last night's game versus Oklahoma City.

3. X-Factor - The Blazers shot 56.5% in their last game, a 120-114 win over Denver. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 32 points and pulled in 11 rebounds in the victory.

Selection: This is a play on the Portland Trailblazers (8*)