The Portland Trail Blazers pulled off an improbable comeback against the Phoenix Suns last night, erasing a 22-point deficit to earn a thrilling 109-104 victory. Anfernee Simons led the furious second-half charge with 31 points, while rookie Shaedon Sharpe provided a spark off the bench in his return from injury.
Blazers Dig Early Hole as Suns Dominate First Half
Phoenix got off to a blistering start, dashing out to a 20-5 lead midway through the first quarter behind a balanced offensive attack. The Suns shot 63% in the period and led 36-26 heading into the second.
Kevin Durant was masterful early on, scoring 21 first-half points on an array of tough jumpers and drives to the rim. Meanwhile, the Blazers offense sputtered against the Suns’ smothering defense, shooting under 40% as a team over the first two quarters.
At halftime, Phoenix held a commanding 68-46 advantage. The Blazers were struggling mightily to find any rhythm, and the raucous home crowd had been largely silenced.
Simons Sparks Epic Rally as Blazers Battle Back
But Portland came charging out of the locker room with renewed intensity at both ends of the floor. Anfernee Simons took over the offense, scoring 22 huge points in the third quarter alone to slice into the deficit. His quickness and shot-making ability proved too much for Phoenix to handle.
| Scoring Leaders | Points |
|---|---|
| Kevin Durant | 40 |
| Anfernee Simons | 31 |
| Deandre Ayton | 16 |
Shaedon Sharpe also provided a major boost after missing over a month with an injury, flying all over the court to make plays and playing smothering defense on the perimeter. His athleticism and energy were instrumental during the comeback.
The Blazers kept chipping away, eventually grabbing a 95-94 lead early in the fourth behind heroics from Simons and center Jusuf Nurkic. The Suns seemed rattled and out of answers.
Nurkic would finish with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists on the night.
Blazers Complete Historic Rally for Thrilling Win
In the end, Portland’s will and determination won out. Their defense clamped down when it mattered most, holding Phoenix without a field goal for the final 4:30 of regulation.
The Blazers sealed the remarkable victory on a Simons pull-up jumper with 9 seconds left. When the final buzzer sounded, the Moda Center crowd erupted into a wild celebration.
By overcoming their largest halftime deficit since 1987, the Blazers demonstrated incredible heart and resolve. And this gritty win could give the young squad much-needed momentum heading into the second half of the season.
Meanwhile, the loss is another tough blow for the struggling Suns, who have lost three straight games. Phoenix will try to right the ship on Thursday night against the red-hot Boston Celtics.
As for the Blazers, they’ll look to build on this momentum on Friday when they host the Toronto Raptors.
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