The start of the match is to the advantage of the Suns. Former Portland pillar, Jusuf Nurkic opens the ball in a room he knows well and Kevin Durant then Devin Booker follow suit. Phoenix quickly leads the score, with an initial 21-8 after six minutes of play. Like Scoot Henderson, the Blazers are still messy and lose too many balls (10 in the first quarter alone!) . They are relegated 16 lengths behind Phoenix (36-20).
But they reacted in the second quarter, with a good entry into play from Jabari Walker in particular. Portland even beat Phoenix 18-4 to get back on track. Deandre Ayton brings the Blazers back close while the Suns in turn begin to mess up their basketball. Fortunately, behind KD who scored 12 points, the Suns revived and kept a small nest egg at half-time (61-49).
A decisive 14-0
With Malcolm Brogdon taking the place of the injured Shaedon Sharpe in the starting five in the third quarter, Portland attempts a new closer. The latter is propelled by Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant, the two pillars of the club, and it results in a 14-0! Portland takes the advantage for the first time in the match and will even count up to +9 in this one-sided 3rd quarter (38-20).
Anfernee Simons maintains the pressure in the last quarter and this allows a new 13-4 run for the Blazers who keep control of the match. Too lonely in the second half with 19 of his 40 points, KD managed to bring his team back to -3 in the last minute but Simons returned the basket, synonymous with victory for Portland (109-104).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Finally a victory for Portland! They were in danger of presenting a second ugly series of eight defeats in a row in the same season but the Blazers managed to reverse the trend last night by finally winning, after seven losses in a row.
– Shaedon Sharpe on the flank. Affected in the adductors, he tried to play in the first half, without really convincing (8 minutes for 0/1 shooting), before making the wise decision to rest. The young Rip City fullback had been bothered for several games and apparently aggravated his injury last night.
– Devin Booker cross after the break. Bleeding at the start of the match, with 17 points at 7/13 on shots at halftime, Devin Booker, on the other hand, lost the thread after returning from the locker room. Erased in the third quarter with a small 1/6, he finished the 2nd half at 4/12, without being able to help Kevin Durant in the money time.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
