Suns backcourt steps up when the team needs them in 101-90 win over the Blazers
Oct 31, 2015, 10:06 PM | Updated: Nov 1, 2015, 6:20 pm
(AP Photo/Steve Dykes)
In a game when the Suns’ third best player was probably Ronnie Price, the team still found a way to beat the Portland Trailblazers 101-90 and it was because their starting backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight was sensational.
Bledsoe was hitting midrange jumpers and continued to up his reputation as a finisher with some ridiculous left-handed layups and floaters on the Blazers defense in the key. He also shot the three ball with more confidence, keeping the defender honest and allowing him to get more real estate to work with on drives.
As Bledsoe does, he stuffed the stat sheet to help his team in other areas. He finished with 33 points, six assists, four steals, three rebounds, and two blocks.
Knight was all about his jump shot and when he got that going it was over for Portland. After starting 0-for-4 in the second half, Knight made six of his next eight shots to close the game out. His quick crossovers kept opening up space for his jumper and was on fire in the fourth quarter. He ended his superb night with 27 points on 10-for-19 shooting and he also filled out the box score, with five rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
The confidence booster for the Suns (2-1) has to be the lack of success the rest of the lineup had and still managing to get a win. Markieff Morris was 3-for-5 from three and had nine rebounds, but he shot 6-for-16 overall and struggled with foul trouble. The young dynamic duo off the bench of Alex Len and T.J. Warren shot 1-for-14 combined, something to be expected every now and then with their youth.
Luckily, there was one key contribution somewhere else besides the starting backcourt and it was Price. He had seven points on four shots, which all seemed to come at key moments when the Suns really needed them.
The Blazers did their part at home to keep themselves in the game. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum were more efficient in game two, shooting 44 percent combined as opposed to 33 percent the night before.
The Suns backcourt was simply better though, combining for 60 points on 55 percent shooting with only four turnovers. Even with a lack of support around them, that was enough for a Suns win and that fact has to have Suns fans very excited for the rest of the season.