The Phoenix Suns began their seven-game homestand by hosting the team that obliterated them on opening night. And while the final 132-119 score wasn't nearly as embarrassing as that initial beatdown, the result was another decisive victory for Portland, which improved to 6-1 on the season and a perfect 5-0 on the road. Meanwhile, the Suns dropped to 1-5.
Devin Booker put together a solid performance, scoring 33 points, with much of his damage coming at the free-throw line, where he went a perfect 13-of-13. However, he finished with only two assists against two turnovers and struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 2-of-8. Jalen Green added 22 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter, although he also shot 2-of-8 from deep. Miles Bridges contributed 18 points and seven rebounds, while Dillon Brooks finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
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For Portland, Donovan Clingan dominated the interior, recording 24 points and 10 rebounds on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting. Damian Lillard added 25 points, while Deni Avdija chipped in 21.
It was one of those nights when all the little things added up, and unfortunately for Phoenix, they added up to another loss. Portland won the battle in the paint, outscoring Phoenix 56-46. The Blazers controlled the second-chance points battle 17-11, dominated fast-break scoring 19-9, and received a significant advantage from their bench, which outscored the Suns' reserves 42-25. Then there was the three-point shooting. Portland connected on 14 threes at a 35.9% clip, while Phoenix managed only 10 makes on 27.8% shooting.
Across the board, the Blazers consistently found ways to win the margins that matter. When you lose that many battles within a game, it's awfully difficult to win the war.
Game Flow
First Half
It was a much more stable start to the game than when these teams first met on October 21. If you recall, and I'm sure you do, the Suns trailed 21–0 in that one. This time around, it took only a minute for Devin Booker to knock down an 18-foot jumper and get the scoring started for Phoenix.
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The first challenge of the evening came with 8:56 remaining in the opening quarter, when Deni Avdija appeared to charge into Dillon Brooks, but a blocking foul was called on Brooks. The Suns successfully challenged the call, negating what would have been Brooks' second foul early in the game.
Phoenix looked considerably more connected on both ends of the floor throughout the first half of the opening quarter. Outside of Khaman Maluach, every starter had scored at least four points within the first six minutes, a welcome sight for a team that has struggled to find any semblance of offensive consistency.
Defensively, there were still some issues navigating the pick-and-roll, particularly with Donovan Clingan finding opportunities to score on the interior. But outside of those breakdowns, the Suns looked much more connected, communicating and rotating with a level of cohesion that had been noticeably absent in their previous meeting with Portland.
Phoenix put together a 9–2 run after the second unit entered the game, overcoming an initially choppy stretch marked by careless turnovers. Their effort on the glass was clearly a point of emphasis, and they were executing well, outrebounding Portland 13–10 in the opening quarter.
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Booker came out on a heater, shooting 4-of-6 from the field for 12 first-quarter points, which is always an encouraging sign. Dillon Brooks added eight points, two rebounds, and a steal as the Suns shot 56.5% from the field while holding the Blazers to 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. The result was a 34–29 Phoenix lead heading into the second quarter.
The Trail Blazers opened the second quarter on an 11-5 run, fueled once again by Donovan Clingan, who continued attacking the interior and creating mismatches for Phoenix. Damian Lillard did his part as well, helping Portland put together an 8-0 run that further shifted the momentum.
By the midway point of the quarter, the pressure Portland was putting on Phoenix had become increasingly difficult to overcome. The Blazers were shooting 8-of-9 from the field while simultaneously drawing multiple fouls on the Suns. The offensive avalanche Phoenix had managed to avoid in the first quarter finally arrived in the second.
Portland outscored Phoenix 43-25 in the quarter, shooting 14-of-19 from the field, a ridiculous 74%, while connecting on 6-of-11 attempts from beyond the arc.
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Phoenix shot 1-of-7 from deep and had 5 turnovers to the Blazers 0. Defensively, however, they reverted to the same troubling habits we've seen throughout the early portion of the season, collapsing into the paint whenever Portland attacked and leaving shooters wide open on the perimeter. And the Blazers made them pay. Jrue Holiday went 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for nine points in the quarter, Lillard added nine of his own, and Clingan chipped in eight.
Meanwhile, Booker scored seven points in the period, bringing his total to 19 at halftime. Phoenix continued to hold the advantage on the glass, but that becomes a moot point when the opposing team seemingly can't miss a shot. After experiencing an entire game's worth of shooting variance in the season opener against Portland, the Suns were treated to a quarter's worth this time around.
Second Half
The Suns opened the third quarter with an offensive push, outscoring Portland 12–6 behind eight points from Devin Booker, who went 2-of-2 from the field, including a three-pointer, and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. Portland was considerably sloppier than it had been in the second quarter, committing three turnovers as Phoenix trimmed its deficit to seven points.
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In what has become a nightly tradition, Dillon Brooks found himself in a shouting match, this time with Damian Lillard, following a turnover in which Brooks stepped out of bounds in transition while attempting a three-pointer. No technicals were assessed during the exchange, but the drama wasn't finished. On Portland's ensuing possession, Brooks attempted to box out Donovan Clingan, who grabbed him by the jersey and pulled him to the floor. Officials reviewed the play for a potential hostile act, ultimately assessing Clingan a technical foul.
Jrue Holiday continued to be a menace, as the Suns repeatedly left him wide open on the perimeter, and he continued to make them pay, knocking down another pair of threes in the third quarter.
Moments later, Deni Avdija found himself under review for a potential hostile act after appearing to deliver a flying knee to Dillon Brooks' groin area. Officials ultimately ruled the contact incidental.
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All those whistles started to become an issue in the third quarter, as Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Jalen Green each found themselves with four fouls and four and a half minutes still remaining in the period.
Booker eventually headed to the locker room after driving to the basket and taking a shot to the head from Robert Williams. What made the sequence particularly frustrating was the inconsistency of the officiating. After spending much of the quarter calling every ticky-tack bit of contact imaginable, the officials somehow swallowed their whistles when Booker got smacked in the head. No foul. Nothing.
The lengthy third quarter mercifully came to an end, with the Suns getting outscored 32-26. Chalk up seven more fouls against Phoenix, which struggled offensively, shooting 7-of-20 from the field and a miserable 3-of-12 from two-point range. And the rebounding? That became a problem once again, as Portland dominated the glass 13–6 while scoring 18 of its 32 points in the paint.
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Booker continued to lead the charge for Phoenix, pouring in 14 points in the quarter, but he finished the period in the locker room after taking that shot to the head. The Suns trailed 104-85 entering the fourth.
Devin Booker returned with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Suns trailing by 18 points.
With Robert Williams on the floor, Phoenix simply didn't have anyone capable of matching his size and physicality. Duop Reath was getting absolutely destroyed on the interior, as Williams grabbed four offensive rebounds in the first two minutes of the quarter alone.
We also saw Jalen Green become considerably more aggressive in the fourth, attacking the basket with a level of purpose that had been missing earlier in the game. After scoring 12 points through the first three quarters, Green shifted into attack mode, repeatedly getting downhill and creating opportunities at the free-throw line. And this time, he actually made his free throws. Miles Bridges was more engaged in the fourth quarter as well, although much like Green's performance, it felt like too little, too late.
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Phoenix kept its offense humming, and there were moments when it felt like the Suns were on the verge of making a meaningful dent in Portland's lead. One sustained run could have put them within striking distance with a couple of minutes remaining. But every time Phoenix threatened to make things interesting, Portland had an answer. There was always a response. Always a reaction to the action.
With 2:51 remaining, Devin Booker fouled out for the second consecutive game, and at that point, the Suns emptied their bench. Ball game.
Up Next
We are right back here tomorrow night as the Suns host the Orlando Magic, who are currently 2-5 and last played in a loss against the Wizards. We shall see you then!
