Trail Blazers at Suns
The Portland Trail Blazers attempt to complete a four-game season sweep of Phoenix when they visit the sinking Suns on Saturday. Portland has scored an average of 118.7 points while winning this season's previous three meetings, and that includes a 124-76 romp over Phoenix in the season opener Oct. 18.
All-Star point guard Damian Lillard has scored 25 or more points in each of his last seven games against the Suns and he tuned up with 24 in Friday's 100-81 road victory over the Utah Jazz. "We know this second half of the season is when we need to get the job done," Lillard told reporters after the Trail Blazers won for the 11th time in their past 16 games. "You can have a great first half of the season and then fall apart in the second half." Phoenix suffered a 128-117 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday for its eighth straight setback and 16 in its past 18 games. The Suns clinched their fourth consecutive losing campaign with their latest loss and are tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the NBA's worst record.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS Northwest (Portland), FS Arizona
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (33-26): Shooting guard CJ McCollum continued his recent strong play with a game-high 26 points against Utah to reach the 20-point mark for the seventh time in the past nine games. The stretch began with a career-best 50-point effort against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 31 and also included a 29-point performance against the Golden State Warriors in the team's final game before the All-Star break. Lillard has scored 20 or more points in seven of eight games this month, including outings of 50, 44 and 39 points.
ABOUT THE SUNS (18-42): Phoenix allowed the game's first 19 points in the loss to the Clippers and 79 in the first half, which greatly disappointed interim coach Jay Triano. "At halftime, I asked them why for two days at practice we want to fight each other downstairs and when we play against someone else we ole and let them go right past us to the rim," Triano told reporters. Star shooting guard Devin Booker, who tallied 27 points against Los Angeles, is averaging 29.7 points against the Trail Blazers this season and had 43 points and eight assists in the most recent meeting Jan. 16.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Trail Blazers have won the past six meetings.
2. Phoenix C Alex Len was 7-of-9 shooting while recording 14 points and 13 rebounds against the Clippers but missed all seven of his free-throw attempts.
3. Portland backup PG Shabazz Napier was 2-of-10 shooting on Friday and is 7-of-26 over the past three games.