Trail Blazers Triumph Over Suns
In a decisive win on Sunday night, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the depleted Phoenix Suns with a score of 92-77, showcasing a strong performance from Donovan Clingan. Clingan tallied 23 points, secured 13 rebounds, and registered four blocked shots. His standout contribution complemented Jerami Grant, who also scored 23 points, shooting an impressive 9-of-13 from the field.
Game Highlights
The Blazers recovered effectively from a previous devastating defeat to the Denver Nuggets and have now claimed five victories in their last seven outings. By the end of the third quarter, Portland had established a commanding 20-point lead, with a score of 71-57 as the teams entered the final quarter. A late surge from the Suns, sparked by Collin Gillespie‘s two three-pointers that reduced the deficit to 80-69 with just over seven minutes to go, was quashed when Grant responded with a three-pointer of his own.
In spite of their efforts, the Suns struggled offensively, finishing the game with a season-low of 77 points and shooting only 36.9% from the field. Gillespie led the Phoenix scoring with 18 points, while teammate Jalen Green added 13. This was particularly disappointing following their intense double-overtime victory against the Orlando Magic just a day prior.
Turnovers and Injuries
Both teams grappled with ball control issues, as evidenced by the high turnover counts—Portland committing 21 and Phoenix totaling 19. At halftime, the Blazers were ahead 47-40, benefiting from the Suns’ dismal shooting from beyond the arc, where they only converted 2 of 19 attempts (10.5%). Grant was instrumental for the Blazers before the break with 12 points.
The Trail Blazers faced a setback early in the game when their leading scorer, Deni Avdija, was sidelined after just one minute on the court due to a recurring lower back injury, which had already made him a game-time decision prior to tip-off.
The Suns’ struggle was compounded by significant absences in their roster, including All-Star guard Devin Booker, who is dealing with a hip strain, alongside forward Dillon Brooks with a fractured hand and guards Grayson Allen (knee/ankle) and Jordan Goodwin (calf). These four players are averaging more than 70 points combined this season.
Looking Ahead
Looking forward, the Trail Blazers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, while the Suns are set to host the Boston Celtics on the same night.
