The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns 127-108 on Saturday night, opening their two-game set in impressive fashion. The victory saw Portland improve to 20-29 on the season, while Phoenix dropped to 25-23.
Deandre Ayton led the charge for the Blazers with a remarkable 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting against his former team. Jerami Grant added 20 points, and second-year forward Toumani Camara contributed 18 points in the dominant win.
For Phoenix, Devin Booker put up a team-high 37 points, while Kevin Durant chipped in 22. Despite strong individual performances, the Suns struggled on the second night of a back-to-back, having secured a 130-105 win over the Golden State Warriors just the night before.
Portland started the game fast and never looked back, taking a 61-46 lead into halftime. Phoenix made a brief push at the start of the third quarter. Booker was fouled on a 3-pointer, igniting a 15-0 Suns run. However, Durant’s 3-pointer was the only other bucket for Phoenix in the period, and the Blazers held onto their lead heading into the final quarter.
The Suns couldn’t close the gap, as Portland continued to dominate, particularly in the paint. The Blazers outscored Phoenix 66-32 inside, showing their offensive strength and efficiency.
Ayton’s stellar performance, highlighted by his near-perfect shooting from the field, was a major factor in the victory. Portland’s ability to hit shots efficiently — they shot 51.7% from the field — and get easy baskets in the paint was too much for Phoenix to handle.
Suns center Nick Richards, who has made an impact since being acquired in a trade from Charlotte, contributed 1 point and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes. However, Phoenix’s offensive struggles ultimately doomed them.
