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Suns 109, Trail Blazers 93
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. — Forward Gerald Green and guard Eric Bledsoe combined for 62 points as the Phoenix Suns came from behind for a 109-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at the Moda Center.
Green came off the bench for 32 points and Bledsoe added 30 for the Suns (45-31), who outscored the Trail Blazers 30-13 in the fourth quarter.
Forward LaMarcus Aldridge and center Robin Lopez each scored 18 points for the Blazers (49-28), who saw the end to a four-game win streak.
Phoenix shot only .402 from the field and .286 (6 for 21) from 3-point range but owned the backboards with a 59-48 rebounding advantage, including 23 on the offensive glass.
Lopez had 12 points and five rebounds as the Blazers took a three-point lead at the half despite 16 points from the Suns’ Green. Center Miles Plumlee had only three points but 12 boards at the break.
Portland extended its edge to 67-57 early in the third quarter. Phoenix cut the margin to 80-79 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Suns opened the fourth quarter with with seven straight points to go ahead 86-80, with Green scoring five — including a set-yourself-up lob pass off the glass and a dunk.
Green’s 3-pointer keyed a 7-0 run that lifted Phoenix into a 99-85 lead with five minutes remaining.
Bledsoe and Green scored 10 points apiece as Phoenix jumped to a 26-19 lead and then settled for a 28-26 advantage after one quarter.
Guard Goran Dragic, who started the game 1-for-7 from the field, got the Suns going as they pushed in front 40-34 early in the second quarter. It was 47-40 when the Blazers rallied, outscoring the visitors 14-4 the rest of the quarter to go into intermission ahead 54-51.
NOTES: Plenty was on the line for both teams as Portland and Phoenix matched up tonight at the Moda Center. For the Trail Blazers, a win would clinche a playoff spot. For the Suns, a win could move them into seventh place in the Western Conference race. … “We’ve won some; now we’ve lost a couple,” Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. “We can’t do anything about the past. We’re still in the (playoff) hunt. We have to try to win every game. It’s not going to be easy. We play some great teams above us in the standings, but our guys have usually played well against the top teams.” … Phoenix entered the game 2-1 against the Blazers this season, with two double-digit victories and a 90-89 loss in which the Suns missed a driving layup and a two tip-ins inside the final five seconds. The last time the teams met was Nov. 27. … In 12 games since rejoining the Phoenix lineup after knee surgery, Eric Bledsoe has scored in double figures 11 times and has scored at least 20 four times.
