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NBA

Bledsoe, Suns bounce back from opener, run away from Blazers

By Bob Baum FoxSports
Published | Updated
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PHOENIX -- Eric Bledsoe scored 22 points, backcourt mate Brandon Knight added 18 and the Phoenix Suns pulled away in the second half to roll past the Portland Trail Blazers, 110-92 on Friday night.

Tyson Chandler set the tone after Phoenix's lackluster season debut against Dallas, scoring 10 points in the first quarter. He finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

T.J. Warren added 17 points for Phoenix on a night when the Suns inducted Steve Nash into the franchise's Ring of Honor.

Damian Lillard led Portland with 24 points on 7-of-20 shooting. C.J. McCollum added 16, making just 7 of 22 shots. Al-Farouq Aminu added 16 points and Mason Plumlee 15 for the Blazers.

The teams meet again Saturday night in Portland.

Phoenix took the lead for good at 38-37 on Warren's free throw with 6:20 left in the first half.

The Blazers were down only 50-49 after Aminu's fast-break dunk 1:24 before the break. The Suns finished the half with five free throws, one by Bledsoe and four by Ronnie Price, to lead 55-49.

After watching most of the lengthy Nash ceremony, the Suns built a 14-point lead twice in the third quarter and were up 83-69 entering the fourth. McCollum's 3-pointer cut the lead to 88-75 with 9:19 to play, but Phoenix went on a 14-5 run and Markieff Morris' dunk made it 102-80 with 4:46 left.

FREE THROWS

Phoenix outscored Portland by 17 points at the foul line and had 23 more attempts. The Suns made 32 of 42 free throws to the Blazers' 15 of 19. Bledsoe was 10 of 11 at the line, Chandler 9 for 12.

LOTSA SHOTS

Lillard and McCollum are scoring points galore, but are taking a lot of shots to do it. McCollum was 14 of 22 in his career-high, 37-point performance against New Orleans in Portland on Wednesday night. That makes him 21 of 44 in two games. Lillard was 8 of 21 in that game and is 15 of 41 for the season.

TIP-INS

Trail Blazers: Portland has lost eight of its last nine games in Phoenix. ... Starting forward Meyers Leonard was 0 for 5 and scoreless. He didn't play in the second half.

Suns: Phoenix was 4 for 17 on 3-pointers but shot 45 percent overall. ... Bledsoe fell two shy of his career high for free throws attempted. ... Chandler had his 254th career double-double.

UP NEXT

The Suns play at Portland in a rematch Saturday night.