NBA Recap: Portland Trail Blazers take down Phoenix Suns, 106-99
The Portland Trail Blazers used a late run with 10 straight free throws over the final 42 seconds to preserve a 106-99 victory over Phoenix Suns at the Rose Garden. It was the second straight win for Portland after a six-game losing streak. 20,151 basketball
fans witnessed the home victory of the Trail Blazers.
Top-Drawers
Five Blazer players scored in double figures, including a team-high 24 off the bench from Wesley Matthews. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 apiece in for Portland. Brandon Roy looked like a shell of his former self, dragging his bum knee and finishing
5-of-15 from the field.
Steve Nash totaled 24 points and 15 assists for the Suns in the defeat. “We struggled to score at times, and that was it,” “they did a better job than us defensively,” said Nash. Grant Hill followed him with 23 points. Channing Frye and Jared Dudley
posted 13 each for Suns.
Match Story
After outstanding victories in their last matches, both teams entered the stadium with a great spirit to run the show.
The Suns were perfect from all angles and also they played the game in an outstanding manner, however it was to no avail as Portland’s 10 straight free throws in just 42 seconds changed the whole scenario of the game.
Both of the teams played the first quarter with almost the same velocity. Portland did not play well offensively in the first, but once again, they found a way with to build their lead, taking a 29-23 lead into the second.
Portland got it offensively in the second quarter and slowly built up a 4-point lead at the intermission.
Trail Blazer stretched its lead to a game- high 12 several times in the second, including when Aldridge's jumper, with 3:29 left, made it a 49-37 game.
The Suns fought very hard and closed the half on a 10-2 run to get within four at the break.
Portland then scored the first six points of the third quarter to grab a 53-51 edge. Nash had eight assists in the third quarter alone and the Suns extended the lead to 75-69.
Baskets from Grant Hill and Channing Frye put Phoenix up 89-87 with 4:31 left to play, but Portland dominated over the next several minutes to take control.
"The second half, we made plays. We got stops, we made shots, we executed down the stretch. We score 37 points in the fourth quarter. Those are the kind of things we need to do to win. it was good to see that." -- Portland coach Nate McMillan
With the clock running down, Phoenix needed an answer, but luck seemed against them as Jared Dudley missed a three-pointer.
The Blazers went into a defensive shell going into the last minute of the game, determined not to give away any free throws. Consequently, the Suns got a bevy of uncontested shots at the Portland ring, and they made it count, scoring 10 points to snatch
the win.
Climax of the Game
The game was tied 89-89 with four minutes left when LaMarcus Aldridge blocked a Jared Dudley shot, then made a pair of free throws at the other end to start a 7-0 run.
Marcus Camby’s Wishful Thinking
"I want to get me a Patty Mills jersey," said Marcus Camby, kidding his teammate after Mills came off the bench to post a season-high nine points complemented with career highs in minutes (28), assists (7), and rebounds (3). Even though his comment
meant no harm but it could also be seen as a taunt to up his game for the next showdown.
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