----- The Phoenix Suns score 41 fourth quarter points to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-112 Tuesday night at the Moda Center.
The Trail Blazers blew a 24 point lead on Tuesday night, but while the Blazers starters were in the game they dominated action. Jusuf Nurkic returning from a leg injury scored 16 points in 16 minutes and said after the game, "everything looked good with me tonight." Damian Lillard finished with 18 points and CJ McCollum added 10 points in limited minutes.
Fans got a chance to see the two newest Blazers in Caleb Swanigan and Zach Collins. Swanigan played well scoring 18 points and 6 rebounds while Collins didn't have many shot opportunities on the offensive end, but showed good movement on defense and was active on the glass.
Portland will now get a day off before hosting the Toronto Raptors Thursday night at the Moda Center. The game is scheduled to tip at 7:00 PM.
Chad's Take- Jusuf Nurkic was awesome in just 16 minutes of action. He looked light on his feet after dropping over 30 pounds during the off-season, and showed a willingness to take the open mid-range jumper. I think Terry Stotts is going to allow Nurkic to show his range this year. I don't know if he can win the starting job, but Caleb Swanigan is going to play. He didn't look like a rookie feeling his way through his first NBA Game. As for Zach Collins, I was impressed with his length and his movement. He looked quicker than I thought he would be. He also showed a strong competitive desire. Collins definitely cares, and that type of attitude can be infectious on a team.