The Phoenix Suns won their second straight game on Sunday night, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 127-116 behind 34 points from Devin Booker.
Grayson Allen scored 20, Kevin Durant scored 21, and Bradley Beal added 23 points. Halfway through the last quarter, the Suns, who had a 17-point lead at one point, allowed Portland to get within four points.
For the struggling Trail Blazers, rookie Scoot Henderson recorded a career-high 33 points and nine assists. They have dropped eight of ten games and four in a row. The losing streak included a 139-77 defeat at Oklahoma City, which is tied for the fifth-worst NBA loss ever.
Henderson had a fast-break layup and Rayan Rupert added a 3-pointer to draw Portland to 111-107 with 6:33 left, but the Suns countered with a 10-2 run and the Trail Blazers couldn’t go any closer.
“We simply became careless with the ball,” Suns head coach Frank Vogel remarked. “We need to handle it better than we did tonight because the other team will put more pressure on us when we have a lead in the fourth.”
“It’s really just about continuing to be aggressive,” Beal stated. “Just be aggressive, guy, and keep slamming the pedal to the floor. We’re being too comfortable, too lax, and too passive. Finish games far more skillfully than we have.
Booker made all five of his free throws and went 14 of 22 from the field, with five of his misses coming from 1-of-6 3-point shooting. He also had seven assists and six rebounds and no turnovers.
Only eight players were available for Portland. Prior to the game, the Blazers declared that Jerami Grant and Matisse Thybulle would be sitting out due to sickness.
They joined a long list of players who had already announced their inability to play, which included Shaedon Sharpe (abductor pain), Malcolm Brogdon (hip), Ibou Badji (knee), and Deandre Ayton (knee).
Ayton, who joined the Blazers in the offseason after playing for the Suns, is close to making a comeback, according to Portland coach Chauncey Billups. Eleven games have he missed.
“Obviously, we were severely short-manned during the match, but I advised the boys to play quickly, have fun, distribute the ball, and support one another on defense. Play without restrictions. And they accomplished it, and it was enjoyable, according to Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. “I enjoyed instructing them as well as watching them. So many guys had excellent performances.
Bol Bol, who was sore after practice on Saturday and would be reevaluated on Monday, was not with the Suns.
Phoenix was fresh off a Thursday night road victory over the Lakers, 127-109.
Rupert’s three-pointer gave Portland a 33-26 lead in the first quarter despite the absences. It was close until Allen’s running 3-pointer put Phoenix ahead 57-49 halfway through the second quarter, when the Suns started to pull away.
With 15 points apiece from Allen and Booker, the Suns lead 71-62 at the half.
In the third quarter, Booker scored 15 of his points, and Allen’s 3-pointer put Phoenix ahead 100-85.
A 3-pointer by Anfernee Simons early in the fourth quarter brought Portland’s lead down to 106-95. With 8:29 remaining, Rupert’s 3-point shot brought the Blazers within one point.
After being traded by the Blazers to the Suns in the summer, Jusuf Nurkic finished with a total of 14 points and 13 rebounds.
This season’s fourth and last meeting between the two teams took place there. Three games were won by the Suns.
The game drew a sparse crowd because Portland’s light rail system was closed due to the wintery weather.
