Deandre Ayton scored 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 127-108 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Saturday night in the first of two games in three days between the teams.
Jerami Grant added 20 points for the Trail Blazers, who led by as many as 27 points while winning their third straight game and seventh in their past eight.
Toumani Camara recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and four steals, Anfernee Simons had 16 points and seven assists, and reserve Shaedon Sharpe also scored 16 for Portland.
Scoot Henderson registered 13 points and nine assists off the bench, and Deni Avdija added 10 points for the Trail Blazers.
Devin Booker scored 37 points for his second straight 30-point outing for the Suns, who fell for just the fourth time in their past 13 games. Kevin Durant had 22 points, marking the 24th time in his last 25 games that he has scored at least 20.
The teams play again Monday, also in Portland.
The Trail Blazers shot 51.7 percent from the field and were 9 of 31 from 3-point range.
Bradley Beal scored 13 points off the bench for the Suns, who made 45.2 percent of their shots and went 10 of 33 from behind the arc.
Phoenix trailed by 10 after a 3-pointer by Durant with 6:54 left in the third quarter, before the Trail Blazers ripped off eight straight points.
Camara and Sharpe knocked down 3-pointers, and Camara added a fast-break dunk off his steal to make it 82-64 with 5:01 left in quarter.
The lead reached 20 when Ayton got the bounce on a short jumper to make it 86-66 with 3:49 remaining.
Portland led 98-79 entering the final stanza.
Shortly after the Suns moved within 15 points on Durant’s basket with 6:25 remaining in the game, Ayton delivered the clinching salvo. He scored consecutive hoops to give the Trail Blazers a 114-94 lead with 4:51 to play, and Phoenix waved the white flag, removing Booker and Durant.
Simons scored 14 points in the first half as the Trail Blazers led 61-46 at the break. Durant scored 13 in the half for Phoenix.
Portland led by five late in the half before rattling off 10 straight points.
–Field Level Media
