Suns have little trouble with short-handed Blazers

Field Level Media|published: Sun 14th January, 23:52 2024

Jan 14, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker (34) in the third quarter at Moda Center. credits: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Devin Booker recorded 34 points and seven assists to help the Phoenix Suns notch a 127-116 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.

Bradley Beal scored 23 points, Kevin Durant added 21 points and six assists and Grayson Allen scored 20 points for Phoenix. Jusuf Nurkic added 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Suns, who won their second straight game.

Scoot Henderson scored a career-best 33 points to go with nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals and Anfernee Simons tallied 28 points for the Trail Blazers. Duop Reath had 17 points and two steals and Kris Murray had 13 points for Portland.

The Suns made a scorching 60.5 percent of their field-goal attempts and were 13 of 28 from behind the arc.

Portland was back at home after finishing off a 1-6 road trip in which the losses were by an average of 33.2 points.

The Trail Blazers played without Deandre Ayton (knee), Malcolm Brogdon (adductor), Jerami Grant (illness), Shaedon Sharpe (adductor) and Matisse Thybulle (illness) on Sunday.

Portland shot 44.9 percent from the field, including 20 of 42 from 3-point range. Jabari Walker had 11 points and eight rebounds and Rayan Rupert also scored 11 points for the Trail Blazers.

Portland trailed by 14 early in the fourth quarter before Rupert scored eight points during a 12-2 burst that brought the Trail Blazers within 111-107 with 6:50 left.

A short time later, Durant drained a 3-pointer, Beal converted a three-point play and Nurkic scored in the interior to give Phoenix a 121-109 advantage with 2:38 remaining.

Booker's slam with 1:06 left restored the 12-point lead as the Suns closed it out.

Booker and Allen scored 15 points apiece as the Suns held a 71-61 lead at the break. Simons scored 16 in the first half for Portland.

Phoenix received two baskets from Beal during a 6-0 run that increased the lead to 97-82 with 3:31 left in the third quarter. The lead later reached 17 before the Suns took a 106-92 lead into the final stanza.

—Field Level Media

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