Anfernee Simons, Blazers overtake Suns, end skid

Field Level Media|published: Wed 20th December, 24:52 2023

Dec 19, 2023; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Duop Reath (26) grabs a rebound against Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) in the first half at Moda Center. credits: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Anfernee Simons recorded 23 points and seven assists as the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 109-104 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

Jerami Grant scored 22 points to help Portland improve to 3-9 at home. Deandre Ayton logged 16 points and 15 rebounds against his former Phoenix teammates, and Malcolm Brogdon had 14 points for the Trail Blazers.

Kevin Durant scored 40 points and Devin Booker added 26 for Phoenix, which lost for the seventh time in 10 games. Grayson Allen had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who shot just 5 of 23 (21.7 percent) from 3-point range and 44.7 percent overall.

Portland led 107-96 after Ayton made two free throws with 1:59 left before the Suns ripped off eight straight points.

Booker hit a mid-range jumper, Allen drove for a layup and Durant scored the next four to pull Phoenix within 107-104 with 35 seconds remaining.

Simons got a good bounce off the rim to make a 13-foot jumper with 10.7 seconds to give the Trail Blazers a five-point advantage. Durant and Allen missed 3-point attempts on the Suns' final possession as Portland won for the first time since beating the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 30.

Portland's Shaedon Sharpe missed the second half with an adductor injury. He was scoreless in eight first-half minutes.

The Trail Blazers connected on 44.8 percent of their shots and were 14 of 28 from 3-point range.

Nassir Little knocked down a trey to start the third quarter and give the Suns a 64-49 advantage.

The Trail Blazers answered with 14 straight points and 25 of the next 30 to take a 74-69 lead. Toumani Camara's dunk capped the burst with 4:53 left in the quarter.

Durant scored back-to-back baskets to pull Phoenix within one before Portland went on a 10-2 run to move ahead by nine. The Trail Blazers led 87-81 entering the final stanza.

Back-to-back baskets by Ayton and Simons gave Portland a 100-89 lead with 6:12 left in the game. Less than two minutes later, a wide-open Brogdon drilled a corner 3-pointer to make it 105-91.

Durant scored 21 in the first half and Booker added 17 as the Suns led 61-49 at the break.

—Field Level Media

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