----- Jerami Grant scored 30 points including the game-winning jumper as time expired as the Portland Trail Blazers improved to 6-2 with a 108-106 victory over the Phoenix Suns Friday night at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Without Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons in the lineup on Friday night, the Portland Trail Blazers pulled out an improbable win over the Phoenix Suns 108-106 at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
Jerami Grant hit a 13-foot baseline jumper at the buzzer after a sweet in-bounds pass from Justise Winslow to propel the Blazers to victory. Grant played the role of star in place of Simons and Lillard by scoring a game-high 30 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
Jusuf Nurkic was sensational in the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to give Portland the lead at 104-103 with 38.7 to play and tied the game at 106-all on a tip-in with 23.4 to play. He finished the game with 14 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.
Justise Winslow got the start next to Grant with Lillard and Simons out of the game and was a force. He finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists and played terrific defense throughout the game.
“When you're missing guys like (Damian Lillard) and (Anfernee Simons), you become less predictable,” Billups said. “You never know where the ball is going and that's tough to guard.”
Drew Eubanks, Keon Johnson, and Nassir Little each scored in double-figures off the bench.
Shaedon Sharpe finished with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting in 28 minutes of action.
With the win, Portland (6-2) now sits atop the Western Conference and have won the season series from the Phoenix Suns.
Up Next- The Trail Blazers play the second of a back-to-back tomorrow night