The Portland Trail Blazers tried to mount a rally in the fourth quarter, but the Phoenix Suns answered every challenge and put away the Blazers to win 119-109 on Wednesday night in Phoenix.
The Blazers (5-7) saw their road woes continue as they fell to 0-6 this season away from the Moda Center. The Suns (7-3) won their sixth game in a row despite the absence of center Deandre Ayton.
Frank Kaminsky finished with a game-high 31 points for Phoenix, while Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Lillard made 12 of 23 shots overall but just 1 of 4 three-pointers. Norman Powell added 23 points, while CJ McCollum had 18 points and seven assists.
Larry Nance Jr. came off the bench to make 6 of 7 shots and finish with 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.
The Blazers shot 48.4% from the field but connected on just 7 of 30 threes (23.3%).
Here’s a recap of how the game unfolded:
LIVE UPDATES RECAP
FINAL: SUNS 119, BLAZERS 109
- Powell hits a three to cut it to 114-104. Chris Paul answers with a jumper, and it’s 116-104. The Blazers turn it over. Booker hits a three. Covington with a layup. Chris Paul milks clock, then bricks a three. Powell rattles in a three. The Suns are up 119-109 with 15 seconds left.
- Out of the timeout, Lillard drives and scores to cut the Phoenix lead to 108-99. A Crowder miss on a three. Lillard drives and scores again. It’s 108-101. Now 2:40 to play. Bridges hits a three to get the Suns’ lead back to 10, at 111-101. The Blazers turn it over. This one is all but over. Chris Paul hits a three.
- Powell drives and scores to make it 103-94. On the other end, Nurkic gets called for a foul on Bridges. That’s Nurkic’s fourth. Kaminsky scores, and he has 31 points tonight. The Suns lead 105-94. Now Crowder fouls Nurkic. It’s not a shooting foul, so a side-out. Lillard with it, and an offensive foul call on Nurkic for his fifth, with 4:26 to go. Paul’s jumper won’t go. McCollum misses a three on the other end, but gets his own rebound and feeds Covington, whose three is good. It’s 105-97. Crowder hits a corner three to answer, though, and it’s a 108-97 lead for Phoenix with 3:26 to go. It certainly looks like the Blazers’ road struggles will continue and that they will fall to 0-6 away from the Moda Center.
- Little with a block on McGee’s shot, but he’s called for a foul. McGee makes 1 of 2 free throws, extending the Phoenix lead to 94-89 with 7:39 left. After the Blazers come up empty, the Suns are back with it. Paul drains a jumper. Damian Lillard, who checked in after the timeout, drives and is fouled by McGee. Lillard makes 1 of 2. The Suns lead it 96-90 with 6:53 to play. Crowder with a flip shot in the lane. McCollum answers with a jumper. The Suns are up 98-92. Kaminsky with a fake and a layup. Lillard’s three won’t go. Crowder drains a three to make it 103-92, and the Blazers take a timeout with 5:28 left.
- Chris Paul’s jumper won’t go, and the Blazers grab it. Nassir Little with a drive and feed to Nance, and he dunks it. The Suns’ lead is down to 91-86 with 8:40 to go. McGee scores for Phoenix. Little misses a three for the Blazers. After the Suns miss one, CJ McCollum drains a three. That cuts it to 93-89, and the Suns take a timeout with 7:47 to go.
- The Blazers turn it over on their first possession of the fourth quarter. After a Suns miss, Nassir Little can’t connect on a three. Javale McGee with a putback to make it 89-77. Now 11 minutes to play. Larry Nance Jr. nails a three. The Suns lead it 89-80. A dish from Chris Paul to McGee. Now Nance with a follow dunk. Phoenix is up 91-82. A Suns miss and a Blazers rebound. CJ McCollum with a running layup to cut it to 91-84. The Suns can’t answer and the Blazers are back with it. Little whistled for a charge.
END THIRD QUARTER: SUNS 87, BLAZERS 77
As the third quarter ends, the Suns lead it 87-77. Damian Lillard has 23 points, five assists and six rebounds for the Blazers.
- Nurkic layup with 26.8 seconds makes the score 87-77.
- Nance jumper leads to the Suns calling timeout while leading 82-75 with 2:13 to go.
- Suns pushed right back, though and led 80-71 after Booker hit a jumper at 3:31.
- Powell free throws and a Little jumper got the Blazers to within 69-64.
- Crowder basket gives the Suns a 67-56 lead with 8:50 remaining.
- Covington hit a jumper but it was later overturned.
- Powell his Blazers’ first three of the game. Suns up 62-51.
- Lillard called for a tech right away. He is irritated.
HALFTIME: SUNS 60, BLAZERS 47
Blazers went 0 of 13 on threes in the first half. Lillard has 12 points and has only attempted one three. Nassir Little came off the bench for eight.
Suns are shooting 52.5% from the field. Frank Kaminsky leads the suns with 18 points. Chris Paul has 10 points and three assists.
- Lillard ends the scoring with a drive to the basket. Suns lead 60-47 at halftime.
- Kaminsky scores again inside. This time over Powell. Kaminsky has 15 points. Suns lead 58-45.
- Kaminsky hits a three and it’s 53-43 Suns with 2:52 on the clock. Blazers are 0 for 11 on threes.
- Kaminsky, Paul and then Booker hit a 13-footer. Suns up 46-39.
- McCollum, who has been struggling, just made a nice drive inside for two and was fouled by McGee. Makes FT. Blazers down 34-33.
- JaVale McGee scores on alley-oop dunk then Nader follows with two. Suns up 34-30 early in the second.
END FIRST QUARTER: SUNS 27, BLAZERS 26
- A layup from Payne and then a jumper from Chris Paul gave the Suns a 27-26 lead at the end of the first quarter.
- Cameron Johnson and Cameron Payne hit threes. Then Frank Kaminsky scores inside to give the Blazers a 21-20 lead.
- Nance scored inside off an assist from Lillard then Anfernee Simons dropped a jumper. Blazers up 18-13.
- Lillard jumper gives Blazers a 14-11 lead with 6:11 to go in the quarter. Suns timeout.
- Devin Booker three got Phoenix to within 12-11. Suns went on a 7-2 run.
- Powell jumper made it 10-4.
- Floater by Lillard gave the Blazers an 8-4 lead.
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PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS AT PHOENIX SUNS
What: Portland Trail Blazers (5-6) at Suns (6-3), 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix.
Radio: Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM).
TV channel: Root Sports (in Portland: Comcast 734/34; DirecTV 687).
Watch the game live online: You can watch this game live for FREE with fuboTV (free trial). You can also get this game on DirecTV Stream’s “CHOICE” package (promotional offers), if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer that platform and their pricing plans. If you already have a cable or satellite provider that carries Root Sports and want to watch online, you can watch this game live on Root Sports Live.
ODDS
Moneyline: PHX -200 | POR +165
Spread: PHX -5 | Over/Under: 224.5
INJURIES
Blazers: No injuries reported.
Suns: Landry Shamet (right foot; contusion) is doubtful; Deandre Ayton (right lower leg; contusion) and Dario Saric (right ACL; tear) are out.
NEXT UP
The Blazers’ four-game trip continues Friday at Houston (1-9) and concludes Sunday at Denver (6-4). The Blazers’ next home game is Monday against Toronto.
-- Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook).
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