Field Level Media
Oct 24, 2021
CJ McCollum scored 28 points, including knocking down six 3-pointers, and the host Portland Trail Blazers cruised past the Phoenix Suns 134-105 on Saturday night.
McCollum scored the first five points of a 10-0 run to start the second quarter, with Norman Powell netting the next five, and the Blazers built a lead that stayed in double digits for the rest of the night.
Every Trail Blazers player scored, and five reached double digits. Powell scored 16 points in 12 minutes, Damian Lillard scored 19 points to go with eight assists, and Anfernee Simons came off the bench to knock down four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points.
Powell left the game in the second quarter after injuring his left knee and didn't return. However, he reportedly did not suffer a major injury.
Portland's team field-goal percentage hovered near 60 percent for most of the night and settled at 51-of-94 (54.3 percent). All five Blazers starters made at least 50 percent from the floor, led by Powell's 75 percent, and four of the five hit at least two 3-pointers.
Portland shot 42 percent (21 of 50) from long range.
Larry Nance Jr. made all three of his shot attempts off the bench, including a pair from beyond the arc, en route to eight points. Nassir Little added 11 points and seven rebounds in reserve.
Jusuf Nurkic paced the Blazers to a 48-38 advantage on the glass with a game-high 12 rebounds. Nurkic also posted a game-best plus-30 plus-minus rating.
No Phoenix player who saw more than 10 minutes finished on the positive side.
One night removed from a win over the Los Angeles Lakers in which it controlled throughout, Phoenix was sluggish in Portland. Three Suns scored at least 21 points on Friday, but only Devin Booker reached that mark on Saturday. He went 9-of-19 from the floor for 21 points.
Mikal Bridges and Elfrid Payton each scored 14 points, and JaVale McGee added 12 points. Chris Paul dished 11 assists, but scored only four points.
--Field Level Media