Game ID: 22300554
Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers
Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET
Moda Center, Portland, OR
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
POR 33 28 31 24 116PHX 31 40 35 21 127
PHX @ POR ScoutingPHX @ POR Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
POR availability going into 1/07 · 1 day's restOUT Ayton missed 6 since 12/26, out tonight
OUT Minaya missed 13 since 12/11, out tonight
BACK Simons back 1/03 after 3, 25 min since (73% of 34)
BACK Sharpe back 1/01 after 5, 21 min since (65% of 33)
BACK Murray back 1/01 after 2, 18 min since (82% of 22)
BACK Reath back 1/03 after 3, 16 min since (92% of 18)
BACK Rupert back 1/05 after 5, 19 min since (115% of 16)
NEW Henderson 28 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Badji 10 to 16 min over the last 5
POR availability going into 1/09 · 1 day's restOUT Ayton missed 7 since 12/26, out tonight
OUT Walker missed 2 since 1/05, out tonight
OUT Minaya missed 14 since 12/11, returns tonight: 12 min (107% of 11)
BACK Simons back 1/03 after 3, 32 min since (93% of 34)
BACK Sharpe back 1/01 after 5, 26 min since (79% of 33)
BACK Murray back 1/01 after 2, 15 min since (70% of 22)
BACK Reath back 1/03 after 3, 25 min since (137% of 18)
BACK Rupert back 1/05 after 5, 19 min since (115% of 16)
POR availability going into 1/11 · 1 day's restOUT Ayton missed 8 since 12/26, out tonight
OUT Walker missed 3 since 1/05, out tonight
BACK Simons back 1/03 after 3, 31 min since (89% of 34)
BACK Sharpe back 1/01 after 5, 25 min since (76% of 33)
BACK Murray back 1/01 after 2, 15 min since (71% of 22)
BACK Reath back 1/03 after 3, 24 min since (132% of 18)
BACK Rupert back 1/05 after 5, 15 min since (94% of 16)
BACK Minaya back 1/09 after 14, 12 min since (107% of 11)
NEW Badji 10 to 18 min over the last 5
POR availability going into 1/12 · back-to-backOUT Ayton missed 9 since 12/26, out tonight
OUT Walker missed 4 since 1/05, returns tonight: 32 min (138% of 24)
BACK Simons back 1/03 after 3, 28 min since (83% of 34)
BACK Reath back 1/03 after 3, 24 min since (133% of 18)
BACK Rupert back 1/05 after 5, 14 min since (88% of 16)
BACK Minaya back 1/09 after 14, 13 min since (114% of 11)
NEW Badji 10 to 18 min over the last 5
POR availability going into 1/14 · 1 day's restOUT Ayton missed 10 since 12/26, out tonight
BACK Walker back 1/12 after 4, 32 min since (138% of 24)
BACK Rupert back 1/05 after 5, 12 min since (76% of 16)
BACK Minaya back 1/09 after 14, 12 min since (104% of 11)
NEW Reath 18 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW Badji 10 to 16 min over the last 5
POR availability going into 1/17 · 2 days' restOUT Sharpe missed 2 since 1/12, out tonight
OUT Ayton missed 11 since 12/26, out tonight
BACK Walker back 1/12 after 4, 31 min since (130% of 24)
BACK Minaya back 1/09 after 14, 13 min since (117% of 11)
NEW Reath 18 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Badji 10 to 16 min over the last 4
POR availability going into 1/19 · 1 day's restOUT Sharpe missed 3 since 1/12, out tonight
OUT Ayton missed 12 since 12/26, returns tonight: 30 min (93% of 32)
BACK Walker back 1/12 after 4, 30 min since (129% of 24)
BACK Minaya back 1/09 after 14, 13 min since (117% of 11)
NEW Reath 18 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW Badji 10 to 17 min over the last 4
POR availability going into 1/21 · 1 day's restOUT Sharpe missed 4 since 1/12, out tonight
OUT Rupert missed 2 since 1/17, returns tonight: 6 min (38% of 16)
BACK Ayton back 1/19 after 12, 30 min since (93% of 32)
BACK Walker back 1/12 after 4, 33 min since (140% of 24)
NEW Reath 18 to 26 min over the last 5
POR availability going into 1/23 · 1 day's restOUT Sharpe missed 5 since 1/12, out tonight
BACK Ayton back 1/19 after 12, 26 min since (81% of 32)
BACK Walker back 1/12 after 4, 31 min since (131% of 24)
BACK Rupert back 1/21 after 2, 6 min since (38% of 16)
NEW Reath 18 to 26 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 1/05 · 1 day's restOUT Durant missed 2 since 1/01, out tonight
BACK Beal back 12/29 after 5, 35 min since (104% of 34)
BACK Nurkić back 12/27 after 2, 25 min since (92% of 27)
BACK Eubanks back 1/01 after 3, 5 min since (30% of 16)
BACK Bates-Diop back 1/01 after 7, 19 min since (124% of 15)
BACK Watanabe back 1/01 after 2, 6 min since (42% of 13)
BACK Bol back 1/01 after 2, 19 min since (181% of 11)
NEW Metu 12 to 19 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 1/07 · 1 day's restOUT Durant missed 3 since 1/01, returns tonight: 36 min (97% of 38)
BACK Beal back 12/29 after 5, 35 min since (105% of 34)
BACK Eubanks back 1/01 after 3, 10 min since (67% of 16)
BACK Bates-Diop back 1/01 after 7, 19 min since (123% of 15)
BACK Watanabe back 1/01 after 2, 7 min since (55% of 13)
BACK Bol back 1/01 after 2, 16 min since (153% of 11)
NEW Metu 12 to 19 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 1/08 · back-to-backOUT Gordon missed 2 since 1/05, returns tonight: 25 min (88% of 28)
BACK Durant back 1/07 after 3, 36 min since (97% of 38)
BACK Eubanks back 1/01 after 3, 11 min since (72% of 16)
BACK Bates-Diop back 1/01 after 7, 18 min since (116% of 15)
BACK Watanabe back 1/01 after 2, 7 min since (55% of 13)
BACK Bol back 1/01 after 2, 16 min since (153% of 11)
NEW Metu 12 to 17 min over the last 5
PHX availability going into 1/11 · 2 days' restOUT Bol missed 2 since 1/07, returns tonight: 17 min (162% of 11)
BACK Durant back 1/07 after 3, 36 min since (95% of 38)
BACK Gordon back 1/08 after 2, 25 min since (88% of 28)
BACK Eubanks back 1/01 after 3, 12 min since (78% of 16)
BACK Bates-Diop back 1/01 after 7, 15 min since (95% of 15)
BACK Watanabe back 1/01 after 2, 7 min since (50% of 13)
PHX availability going into 1/14 · 2 days' restBACK Durant back 1/07 after 3, 34 min since (92% of 38)
BACK Gordon back 1/08 after 2, 24 min since (85% of 28)
BACK Bol back 1/11 after 2, 17 min since (162% of 11)
PHX availability going into 1/16 · 1 day's restBACK Durant back 1/07 after 3, 35 min since (94% of 38)
BACK Gordon back 1/08 after 2, 24 min since (86% of 28)
BACK Bol back 1/11 after 2, 17 min since (162% of 11)
PHX availability going into 1/19 · 2 days' restOUT Goodwin missed 2 since 1/14, returns tonight: 4 min (29% of 14)
OUT Watanabe missed 2 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Bol missed 2 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Durant back 1/07 after 3, 36 min since (96% of 38)
BACK Gordon back 1/08 after 2, 24 min since (86% of 28)
PHX availability going into 1/21 · 1 day's restOUT Watanabe missed 3 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Bol missed 3 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Gordon back 1/08 after 2, 24 min since (87% of 28)
BACK Goodwin back 1/19 after 2, 4 min since (29% of 14)
PHX availability going into 1/22 · back-to-backOUT Watanabe missed 4 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Bol missed 4 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Goodwin back 1/19 after 2, 4 min since (29% of 14)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 98 a night and allowing 127, shooting 39 percent and 33 from three, 23 free throws a game; Grant at 18 and Simons at 15 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 10 a night. Without Ayton (10 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 119, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Durant at 24 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been minus-4 a night and Portland minus-10 and the defense, Phoenix allowing 119 a night to Portland's 127. Call it Phoenix 118, Portland 111.
1/07 @ BKN 134-127 — POR notes
POR won 134-127 in 1 overtime. POR shot 47% (45 of 95) to BKN's 51%, 20 of 38 from three. POR turned it over 9 times to BKN's 15. Simons led with 38 (13 of 25, 5 of 10 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Grant added 27, S. Sharpe 21. The hinge was Q4, 30-22: POR came in trailing by 8 and left it level. POR trailed 50-52 at the half and won the second half 84-75. Brogdon was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
1/09 @ NYK 84-112 — POR notes
POR lost 84-112. POR shot 38% (33 of 86) to NYK's 42%, 6 of 29 from three. The glass went 43-55 against them. Grant led with 21 (8 of 16, 1 of 4 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Simons added 12. Q4 was theirs, 23-15, the deficit cut from 36 to 28, but the other 3 periods went 97-61 against them. Grant's -31 in 28 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/11 @ OKC 77-139 — POR notes
POR lost 77-139. POR took 8 more shots (101 to 93), fed by 13 offensive rebounds, but shot 28% to OKC's 57%, 11 of 49 from three, and got to the line 16 times to OKC's 22. The glass went 42-59 against them. Simons led with 14 (4 of 13, 4 of 8 from three); Henderson added 13. Q4 was theirs, 21-21, but the other 3 periods went 118-56 against them. Henderson's -56 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/12 @ MIN 93-116 — POR notes
POR lost 93-116. POR shot 39% (30 of 77) to MIN's 55%, 10 of 28 from three, and went to the line 34 times to MIN's 24 — 23 points from the stripe to their 17. Walker led with 17 (6 of 11); Camara added 14, Reath 14. Q4 was theirs, 36-28, the deficit cut from 31 to 23, but the other 3 periods went 88-57 against them. Grant's -36 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/14 vs PHX 116-127 — POR notes
POR lost 116-127. POR took 13 more shots (89 to 76), fed by 12 offensive rebounds, but shot 45% to PHX's 61%, 20 of 42 from three. Henderson led with 33 (11 of 31, 4 of 9 from three, 7 of 9 at the line); Simons added 28, Reath 17. Q4 was theirs, 24-21, the deficit cut from 14 to 11, but the other 3 periods went 106-92 against them. Walker's -15 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/17 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 101 a night and allowing 124, shooting 39 percent and 36 from three, 24 free throws a game; Simons at 19 and Grant at 18 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 9 a night. Without Sharpe (2 straight), Ayton (11 straight). 2 days' rest. Brooklyn comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 114, shooting 43 percent and 30 from three, 26 free throws a game; Bridges at 25 and Thomas at 16 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Simmons (32 straight), Clowney (8 straight), Wilson (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Brooklyn wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Brooklyn has been plus-3 a night and Portland minus-9 and the defense, Brooklyn allowing 114 a night to Portland's 124. Call it Brooklyn 115, Portland 111, Portland keeping it close.
1/19 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Portland comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 95 a night and allowing 119, shooting 39 percent and 32 from three, 21 free throws a game; Grant at 18 and Simons at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Sharpe (3 straight), Ayton (12 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mathurin at 16 and Bru. Brown at 15 a game. Without Haliburton (5 straight), Nesmith (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Indiana wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Indiana has been plus-3 a night and Portland minus-7 and the arc, Indiana at 36 percent from three to Portland's 32. Call it Indiana 117, Portland 113, Portland keeping it close.
1/21 @ LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 121, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Russell at 24 and Davis at 22 a game. Without Reddish (3 straight), Vincent (15 straight). One day's rest. Portland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 102 a night and allowing 120, shooting 42 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Grant at 22 and Brogdon at 18 a game. Without Sharpe (4 straight), Rupert (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Lakers win, and the game turns on the arc, the Lakers at 39 percent from three to Portland's 34. Call it the Lakers 118, Portland 110.
1/23 @ OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 113, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 23 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 29 and Jal. Williams at 23 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest. Portland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 119, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Grant at 24 and Brogdon at 20 a game. Without Sharpe (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Portland has been minus-1 a night and OKC minus-5. Call it OKC 119, Portland 110.
1/05 vs MIA 113-97 — PHX notes
PHX won 113-97. PHX shot 51% (44 of 87) to MIA's 41%, 14 of 35 from three. PHX turned it over 9 times to MIA's 15. Allen led with 31 (11 of 19, 9 of 14 from three); Beal added 25, Booker 20. The hinge was Q3, 32-20: a lead of 7 became 19. Beal was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
1/07 vs MEM 115-121 — PHX notes
PHX lost 115-121. PHX shot 45% (46 of 102) to MEM's 44%, 8 of 28 from three. PHX turned it over 12 times to MEM's 17. Booker led with 24 (9 of 17, 2 of 6 from three); Durant added 23, Nurkić 18. Q1 was theirs, 32-26, but the other 3 periods went 95-83 against them. They led by as many as 13. Bates-Diop's -15 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/08 @ LAC 111-138 — PHX notes
PHX lost 111-138. PHX shot 49% (38 of 77) to LAC's 62%, 10 of 30 from three, and went to the line 29 times to LAC's 23 — 25 points from the stripe to their 17. The glass went 25-44 against them. Durant led with 30 (10 of 17, 3 of 6 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Booker added 20, Beal 15. Q3 was theirs, 28-30, but the other 3 periods went 108-83 against them. Booker's -31 in 34 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/11 @ LAL 127-109 — PHX notes
PHX won 127-109. PHX shot 49% (46 of 93) to LAL's 50%, 14 of 39 from three. PHX turned it over 12 times to LAL's 18. Beal led with 37 (14 of 21, 8 of 10 from three); Booker added 31, Durant 18. The hinge was Q3, 39-26: a lead of 14 became 27, and the lead reached 32. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +32.
1/14 @ POR 127-116 — PHX notes
PHX won 127-116. PHX shot 61% (46 of 76) to POR's 45%, 13 of 28 from three. Booker led with 34 (14 of 22, 1 of 6 from three); Beal added 23, Durant 21. The hinge was Q2, 40-28: PHX came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 10, and the lead reached 17. Nurkić was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
1/16 vs SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 116, shooting 51 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Durant at 23 a game. One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 119, shooting 47 percent and 34 from three, 19 free throws a game; Sabonis at 23 and Fox at 20 a game. One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Phoenix 119, Sacramento 115, Sacramento keeping it close.
1/19 @ NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 44 from three, 28 free throws a game; Williamson at 23 and McCollum at 18 a game. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 120, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 24 free throws a game; Booker at 25 and Durant at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. 2 days' rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the arc, New Orleans at 44 percent from three to Phoenix's 38 and the turnovers, Phoenix giving it away 13 times a game to New Orleans's 10. Call it New Orleans 120, Phoenix 115.
1/21 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 118, shooting 51 percent and 39 from three, 24 free throws a game; Booker at 31 and Durant at 24 a game. That is 4 straight wins. One day's rest. Indiana comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 119, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 21 free throws a game; Turner at 17 and Hield at 16 a game. Without Nembhard (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Phoenix 121, Indiana 117, Indiana keeping it close.
1/22 vs CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 112, shooting 53 percent and 39 from three, 22 free throws a game; Booker at 32 and Durant at 26 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. Chicago comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 114, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 18 free throws a game; DeRozan at 21 and White at 20 a game. Without Craig (17 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-8 a night and Chicago plus-2. Call it Phoenix 117, Chicago 113, Chicago keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
PHXBB B. Beal
CM C. Metu
DB D. Booker
DE D. Eubanks
EG E. Gordon
GA G. Allen
JN J. Nurkić
JO J. Okogie
KB K. Bates-Diop
KD K. Durant
NU Nurkic
PORAS A. Simons
DR D. Reath
JM J. Minaya
JW J. Walker
KM K. Murray
RR R. Rupert
SH S. Henderson
TC T. Camara
PHX/POR the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Devin Booker scores 34 points, Suns hold off Trail Blazers 127-116
PORTLAND, Ore. -- — Devin Booker had 34 points and the Phoenix Suns held off the Portland Trail Blazers 127-116 on Sunday night for their second straight victory.
Bradley Beal added 23 points, Kevin Durant had 21 and Grayson Allen 20. The Suns, whose biggest lead was 17 points, let Portland narrow the gap to four points midway through the final quarter.
Rookie Scoot Henderson had a career-high 33 points and nine assists for the short-handed Trail Blazers. They have lost four straight and eight of 10. The skid includes a 139-77 loss at Oklahoma City that tied for the fifth-worst setback in NBA history.
Henderson had a fast-break layup and Rayan Rupert added a 3-pointer to pull Portland to 111-107 with 6:33 left, but the Suns answered with a 10-2 run and the Trail Blazers couldn't get any closer.
“We just got sloppy with the basketball,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “When you have a lead in the fourth the other team is going to turn up the pressure, and we’ve got to handle it better than we did tonight.”
Beal agreed.
“I think the biggest thing is just staying aggressive,” Beal said. “Too passive, too lax, too comfortable — just be aggressive man, keep putting our foot on the gas. Close out games a lot better than we have.”
Booker was 14 of 22 from the field — with five of the misses coming on 1-of-6 3-point shooting — and made all five of his free throws. He also had seven assists and six rebounds and no turnovers.
Portland had just eight available players. The Blazers announced before the game that Jerami Grant and Matisse Thybulle would not play because of illness.
They joined an already sizable list of unavailable players, among them Deandre Ayton (knee) Ibou Badji (hip) Malcolm Brogdon (adductor soreness) and Shaedon Sharpe (adductor soreness).
Portland coach Chauncey Billups said Ayton, who played for the Suns before coming to the Blazers in the offseason, is close to a return. He has missed 11 games.
“We were incredibly undermanned, obviously, in the game, but I told the guys, `Play fast, play fun, share the ball and help each other on defense. Just play free.′ And they did that and it was just fun,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. "It was fun watching them, it was fun coaching. So many guys played well.
The Suns were without Bol Bol , who was sore after practice Saturday and will be reevaluated Monday.
Phoenix was coming off a 127-109 road victory over the Lakers on Thursday night.
Despite the absences, Portland led by 33-26 in the first quarter after Rupert's 3-pointer. It was close until the Suns began to pull away midway through the second quarter, when Allen's running 3-pointer put Phoenix up 57-49.
The Suns went into the half ahead 71-62, led by Allen and Booker with 15 points apiece.
Allen's 3-pointer gave Phoenix a 100-85 lead in the third quarter and Booker scored 15 of his points during the period.
Anfernee Simons ' 3-pointer closed the gap for Portland to 106-95 early in the final period. The Blazers got within single digits when Rupert's 3-pointer made it 109-102 with 8:29 left.
Jusuf Nurkic , who was traded from the Blazers to the Suns last summer, finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
It was the fourth and final meeting between the two teams this season. The Suns won three.
The crowd for the game was spotty due to wintery weather in Portland that shut down the city's light rail system.