Trail Blazers at Suns
The Portland Trail Blazers aim to continue their winning ways Wednesday, when they take on the slumping Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. Portland extended its winning streak to three games Sunday, when it posted a 102-94 home triumph over Chicago. Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews scored 21 points apiece as the Trail Blazers had six players in double figures.
Phoenix began its three-game homestand Saturday with its third consecutive loss, a 97-88 setback against Miami. The Suns have performed better at home than on the road as they are 3-3 in their own building and 1-4 away from it. Phoenix went 2-1 against Portland last season, winning by an average of 21.5 points while losing by 38.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN West (Portland), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (5-5): Guard Damian Lillard leads all rookies with 19.0 points and 6.1 assists. He is the first player with averages that high through 10 games since Isiah Thomas in 1981. Lillard also is tops among first-year players in steals (1.5) and minutes played (37.5). All five of the Trail Blazers' starters are averaging double figures in points for the first time since 1991-92.
ABOUT THE SUNS (4-7): Phoenix has trailed by double digits in 10 of its 11 games this season and each of its last six. The Suns have been behind by 10 or more points in all six of their home contests. Guard Goran Dragic is the only member of the team to score in double figures in every game this season. He is one of three players in the league averaging better than 16 points, seven assists and two steals. Chris Paul and Brandon Jennings are the others. Guard Shannon Brown has scored 147 points off the bench this season, the most by a Suns reserve since Tom Chambers in 1992-93.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Batum entered Tuesday second in the league with 31 successful 3-pointers. He is 10-of-18 from beyond the arc over his last two games.
2. The Suns have won 10 of their last 12 home meetings with the Trail Blazers but has lost eight of 12 overall in the all-time series.
3. The winning team has eclipsed the 100-point mark in each of the last seven encounters and 26 of the last 28.
PREDICTION: Suns 104, Trail Blazers 98.