Devin Booker tallied 28 points as the Phoenix Suns secured a 116-109 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night, stretching Portland’s losing streak to six games. Kevin Durant contributed 20 points, Tyus Jones added 19, and Royce O’Neale, filling in for the injured Bradley Beal, notched 13 points. Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers with 20 points, while Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija, coming off the bench, each scored 17 points. The Suns, who hit 22 3-pointers in their previous game against Utah, connected on 15 triples in this matchup. Booker and Grayson Allen led the way with four 3-pointers each.
Deandre Ayton, the former No. 1 pick for the Suns, was absent for the Trail Blazers due to illness. Rookie Donovan Clingan stepped in for Ayton and compiled 10 points and nine rebounds. The Suns dictated the tempo in the first half, but the Trail Blazers staged an 11-0 run to open the third quarter, taking a 62-57 lead. Simons’ three-pointer propelled Portland ahead at 60-57, and Shaedon Sharpe’s steal and dunk capped off the 11-0 surge.
In terms of player updates, Robert Williams III made his return from a concussion for the Trail Blazers, contributing eight points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting. Blazers coach Chauncey Billups indicated that Williams would be under a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future. With Beal sidelined due to knee swelling, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer utilized 12 players, with 11 of them getting on the scoresheet. Allen led the reserves with 12 points.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Portland seized a five-point advantage, only for Booker to erupt for 12 points in the third quarter, propelling the Suns back into the lead, which they maintained for the remainder of the contest. Noteworthy statistic: The Suns boast a 13-2 record when Durant is in the lineup, compared to a 1-9 record when he’s unavailable.
Looking ahead, both teams will be back in action on Thursday night. The Trail Blazers will visit Denver, while the Suns will host Indiana.
