Phoenix Suns' Big 3 rolls late in 4th quarter in win over Portland Trail Blazers

The Phoenix Suns (21-18) closed their three-game road trip defeating the Portland Trail Blazers (10-29), 127-116, on Sunday.

This was the second consecutive victory for the Suns.

Phoenix's Big 3 of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant led the way in their eighth game together. Booker had the game-high 34 points, along with seven assists, and six rebounds. Beal scored 23 points on a solid 9-of-13 shooting, five assists, and added two steals. Durant contributed 21 points (50% FG), six assists, and five rebounds.

All five of Phoenix's starters scored in double digits, with Grayson Allen adding 20 and Jusuf Nurkic 14.

The Trail Blazers' rookie point guard Scoot Henderson had the game-highs 33 points (11-of-31 FG), nine assists, three steals, and their best scorer this season Anfernee Simons had 28 points and five assists in the losing effort.

After the Suns led by 14 at 10:31 left to play, Phoenix’s fourth quarter-weaknesses began to creep in as the Trail Blazers went on a 12-2 run to cut the lead to five over the next four minutes.

Driven by assists and field goals by Booker, Beal, and Durant to close the quarter, Phoenix ended the game on a 14-6 run.

The Suns' next game is at home against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Booker, Beal catch fire as Suns increase lead in 3rd

Phoenix dominated the third quarter and gained its biggest lead 17 points, and was still up over Portland, 106-92, entering the fourth.

Devin Booker dropped 15 of his 30 points and Bradley Beal had nine of his 20 in the third.

Booker shot a stellar 6-of-7, including an emphatic two-handed fast break contested dunk of an outlet.

Beal has been scorching hot (8-of-11 FG, tied for game-high four 3s) as he made four of the Suns’ five field goals between 6:49 and 4:41.

The quarter ended on a buzzer-beating layup by Portland's top scorer and facilitator Scoot Henderson (27 points, nine assists) to close the third.

Durant heats up, Booker stays hot for Suns in 2nd quarter

The Suns went on a 13-0 run after the second quarter's midpoint, which led to their 71-61 lead at the break.

Kevin Durant scored 10 of his total 12 points in the second, and Devin Booker has Phoenix's high 15 points, both are shooting 50%. Four of Phoenix's starters have scored in double figures, including Grayson Allen, who's tied with Booker for 15 and reached his 3,000th career point in the process.

Phoenix got a jolt from Durant early in the second when he made the game's biggest highlight thus far. At 9:21 in the second, Beal deflected a pass from Anfernee Simons, which Eric Gordon caught and made an outlet pass to Durant, who then went coast-to-coast for a vicious and-one dunk. His subsequent made free throw tied the game at 38-38.

Phoenix began to pick up its pace from there, including its defense that scored 12 points off Portland's six turnovers (14 points off of Portland's eight total in the first half).

The Trail Blazers countered Phoenix's 13-0 run with its own 7-0 run that ended with Simons’ third trey to trim Phoenix’s lead to five after the Suns were up 66-54 at 2:34.

Simons led all scorers with 16 points, and Scoot Henderson has 15 with his game-high seven assists for Portland.

Suns' Booker, Beal shave Blazers' 1st-quarter lead

Portland leads Phoenix, 33-31 at the first period's end.

Phoenix's Devin Booker and Bradley Beal each of have nine points as the game's leading scorers. Booker (4-of-8 shooting) hit the last field goal in the closing seconds, and Beal is off to a 3-of-4 start.

The first quarter was a see-saw affair between both teams, which had five lead changes within the first four minutes. Portland stayed in front after the seven-minute mark, and gained its biggest lead seven twice.

Blazers' Duop Reath and Scoot Henderson both have eight points.

Starting lineups

The Suns' Big 3 in Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant, will start with wing Grayson Allen, and center Jusuf Nurkic against his former team Portland.

The Trail Blazers will open with their top scorer Anfernee Simons and top draft pick Scott Henderson in the backcourt, former Suns second-round pick Toumani Camara, Jabari Walker, and Duop Reath in the middle.

Suns' Bol, Blazers’ Ayton out

Phoenix backup big Bol Bol (foot) is out. He played well against the Lakers as he contributed six points (2-of-3 shooting), six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 17 minutes. That was after he missed two straight games from his right ankle sprain in Phoenix's Jan. 5 home win against Miami.

The only other player on Phoenix's pregame injury report is Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery), who's been out all season thus far.

Portland center Deandre Ayton (right knee tendinitis), formerly with the Suns, is out as well, missing 11 straight games.

There are many additional players out on Portland's pregame injury report. That includes the team's third-leading scorer Shaedon Sharpe (adductor), Moses Brown (wrist), Robert Williams (knee), Jerami Grant (illness), Matisse Thybulle (illness), and Malcolm Brogdon (adductor), and Ibou Badji (hip).

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns' Big 3 rolls late in 4th quarter to beat Trail Blazers for win