The Portland Trail Blazers can cite several bright spots from their 120-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Center Deandre Ayton was active and effective, logging one of his best games of the season. Point guard Malcolm Brogdon returned from injury, providing much-needed support to the offense. The Blazers even shot three-pointers well. But the Suns had too much fuel on the bonfire for the Blazers to extinguish. The contest will go down as a plucky loss, but a loss nonetheless.
If you missed the action, you can find a quarter-by-quarter recap here.