Collin Gillespie delivered a career-high performance Tuesday night, finishing with 30 points and 10 assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 130-125 win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. The guard tied his career best with eight made three-pointers as Phoenix improved to 31-20, holding sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
The Suns played without leading scorer Devin Booker, who sat out with a right ankle sprain, and also missed Jalen Green, yet maintained offensive balance with four players scoring at least 16 points. Mark Williams added 24 points and 12 rebounds on 11-of-14 shooting, while Grayson Allen matched that scoring total and hit six threes.
Portland, now 23-28 and riding a six-game losing streak, opened strong and built a 41-30 lead after one quarter. The home side controlled the pace early through Jerami Grant and Donovan Clingan, but turnovers and defensive lapses shifted momentum after halftime.
Phoenix trimmed the deficit to 72-67 by the break before dominating the third quarter 34-22, using spacing and quick ball movement to generate efficient perimeter looks. Williams’ layup with 3:55 left in the period pushed the visitors ahead 88-87, and they did not trail again.
Jordan Goodwin provided a key boost off the bench with 16 points, 10 rebounds and five steals, helping stabilize the rotation while Booker remained unavailable. The Suns shot 52 percent from the field and knocked down 20-of-41 attempts from beyond the arc, forcing Portland’s defense to rotate late throughout the second half.
Grant paced the Trail Blazers with 23 points, while Shaedon Sharpe added 19 and Clingan finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Jrue Holiday recorded 15 points and five assists, but Portland committed 17 turnovers, six more than Phoenix, which translated into extra possessions in a five-point game.
The Blazers also played without All-Star selection Deni Avdija, who averages 25.5 points per game and continues to recover from a lower back strain. Newly acquired Vit Krejci made his team debut and scored five points in 14 minutes off the bench.
Despite shooting 49 percent overall, Portland struggled from three-point range at 35 percent on 52 attempts, while Phoenix capitalized on efficiency and transition opportunities generated by defensive pressure. The Suns finished with 26 assists and only 11 turnovers, reflecting controlled half-court execution late.
Phoenix returns home to face Golden State on Thursday, a matchup that could affect positioning in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race. Portland remains at Moda Center to host Memphis on Friday, seeking to halt its longest losing streak of the season.
