The Portland Trail Blazers are gearing up for a challenging matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday evening. After a disheartening loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Blazers are determined to bounce back and redeem themselves on the court. However, they face a Suns team that has been on a winning streak, creating a formidable opponent for Portland.

The Blazers' loss to the Thunder highlighted their struggles, particularly in defending against the three-pointer. With their opponents shooting an impressive 61.1 percent from long range, Portland found themselves overwhelmed and ultimately suffered a crushing defeat, with a final score of 134-91. The Blazers acknowledge that the scoreline was a generous reflection of their performance.

In contrast, the Suns have been finding their stride, racking up three consecutive victories, including an impressive 133-115 win against the Western Conference leaders, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite dealing with injuries and integrating new players into the roster, Phoenix is a team with momentum and aims to continue their winning streak by securing a comfortable victory over the struggling Blazers on their home court.

Blazers fans are curious about how former players Jusuf Nurkic, Allen Crabbe, and Noah Vonleh are performing with the Suns, compared to their time in Portland. Interestingly, Nurkic, who now plays a different role with the Suns, primarily focusing on facilitating offensive plays, has been experiencing mixed results. While he is averaging approximately five assists per game, his three-point shooting has been inconsistent. Suns fans, much like Blazers fans, have their frustrations with Nurkic's occasional defensive liabilities and missed layups.

Taking advantage of Nurkic's weaknesses on defense is a strategy that Suns fans hope will work in their favor. However, the Blazers' biggest weakness lies in their three-point shooting, where they currently rank last in the NBA with a disappointing 30.5 percent accuracy. Consequently, exploiting Nurkic's vulnerabilities on the perimeter becomes less crucial when facing a team struggling with long-range shots. Nonetheless, Suns fans are hopeful that their team can find ways to exploit Nurkic's limitations and disrupt the Blazers' offensive rhythm.

The Blazers are aware that the outcome of this game may heavily rely on their ability to improve their three-point shooting. Currently, the Suns rank second in the NBA in three-point accuracy, shooting at an impressive 39.2 percent. They also take more attempts per game than the Blazers. If Portland fails to find their rhythm from deep while the Suns continue their hot shooting, the game could unfold similarly to their previous encounter with the Thunder.

Adding to the Blazers' concerns is the presence of Kevin Durant on the Suns' roster. Durant has been having a vintage year, averaging 31.4 points per game and demonstrating stellar all-around performance. This poses a significant challenge for the Blazers, as they do not possess a viable answer to Durant's consistent scoring prowess throughout the game.

As the Blazers prepare to face the Suns, they understand the importance of improving their three-point shooting and finding a way to contain Durant. The outcome of this matchup will reveal whether Portland can turn their fortunes around or if the Suns' winning streak will continue to prosper.

Title: "Portland Trail Blazers Prepare for Tough Battle Against Phoenix Suns"