Trail Blazers Vs Suns: Offense Optional as Portland Tops Phoenix 92-77

The Portland Trail Blazers whipped the Phoenix Suns 92-77 in a low-scoring outing that mattered because Portland had less than 48 hours to fix its defense after allowing 157 points to the Denver Nuggets, and the quick turnaround showed in the trail blazers vs suns matchup.

Trail Blazers Vs Suns: Offense Optional

Who needs scoring when you have… NOT scoring? The Blazers and Suns combined for a scarcity of points, with Portland finishing 10 of 37 (27%) from three and Phoenix 9 of 35 (26%). Portland built a 47-40 halftime edge after the Suns missed their first seven threes and were 2 for 19 at the break. Portland had only five made threes in its first 20 attempts as the teams traded cold shooting spells throughout the game.

Defense flipped after Denver’s 157-point debacle

Portland entered Sunday needing to erase a previous defensive debacle when the Denver Nuggets piled on 157 points, and the Blazers had less than 48 hours to correct their defensive issues. The correction was dramatic: five different Blazers combined for 11 blocks, with Donovan Clingan accounting for four of those rejections.

Donovan Clingan and Jerami Grant led the way

Donovan Clingan finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds, drilling 3 of 6 from three-point range, handing out 3 assists and adding a steal in 31 minutes. Jerami Grant matched Clingan with 23 points on 9 of 13 shooting, going 3 of 6 from deep and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line while chipping in 2 rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block as Portland leaned on interior and contested defense to suppress Phoenix’s scoring.

Scoot Henderson’s minutes and mixed results

Scoot Henderson logged his 6th game of the season and played 30 minutes, exceeding the minutes restrictions he had been under. His box score was mixed: 11 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 turnovers and 1 block, with shooting splits of 4 for 14 from the field, 1 for 6 from distance and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line. He also provided a sturdy defensive presence and made plays at pivotal moments in a win Portland needed after the Denver loss.

Roster absences and an early injury

The Blazers started without Shaedon Sharpe and lost Deni Avdija to back issues after about a minute of play, with Avdija leaving the game. The Suns played without Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen, which helped shape the low-scoring, defense-first script.

What the rare feat looked like

In the 92-77 rout, Portland hit rare NBA history in the two-game swing against Denver and Phoenix. Per OptaSTATS, Portland reached a defensive accomplishment that stands out in the sequence that began with the 157 points allowed to Denver and ended with the decisive win over Phoenix.

Next up

Portland returns home Tuesday for a rendezvous with the Minnesota Timberwolves; game time is 7pm Pacific. Recovery and preparation will focus on sustaining the defensive effort that produced the win and the historic two-game turnaround.