Portland Trail Blazers, Jake Layman eclipse the Phoenix Suns

The Portland Trail Blazers put on a dominant performance against the Phoenix Suns, clobbering them 108-86.

What else did you expect? The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns in a game that was over before the first quarter ended. Following a rough stretch for Portland, a game against the Suns was just what the doctor ordered. The final score: 108-86.

Although CJ McCollum sat this one out with an ankle injury, Portland had no problem showing they were the much better team. Damian Lillard came out the gate gunning. He finished the night with 25 points, eight assists, and five boards in only 27 minutes. Jusuf Nurkic had a solid game, scoring nine points and securing 14 rebounds.

The Suns looked lost right from the jump, and the Blazers put their foot on the gas pedal, ensuring they could cruise their way to victory as the minutes continued to tick off the clock. After a 36-9 thrashing in the first, the other 36 minutes became a formality.

With the win, the Blazers improve to 14-11. The Suns drop to 4-21.

On Layman’s terms

The story of the game belonged to Jake Layman. After starting the first 19 games of the season, Layman was benched in favor of Maurice Harkless. Tonight, he reemerged in the team’s rotation due to CJ McCollum’s being sidelined. He did not disappoint.

In fact, he made more than a case for a spot back into the regular rotation.

Six minutes into his game, he had already notched 15 points on 6-6 shooting and 3-3 from deep. Only a few minutes into the second, and he had already tied his career-high of 17 points. He was everywhere on the court, from hitting deep-range bombs to snagging a couple easy points off tip-ins to playing solid defense.

He finished the game with 24 points, seven boards, and a pair of steals. He provided a burst of energy and excitement at the Moda Center and got several people wondering if he belongs back in the starting lineup.

After a performance like tonight’s, Head Coach Terry Stotts will have some explaining to do if we don’t see him back out on the floor in Portland’s next game.

Great win, but let’s not get too excited.

While the Blazers dominated tonight, let’s keep this all in perspective. They were playing against the Phoenix Suns, after all. A team that was projected to be one of the worst teams in the league, they have still somehow been a disappointment and were without two of their best players tonight in Devin Booker and TJ Warren.

Yes, the Blazers outscored them mightily in the first period. But they also gave up 32 to this club in the second and lost the quarter. If they were an even below-average NBA team, a second quarter like that could’ve gotten them right back into the game.

The last thing we want is for Portland to be lulled back into a false sense of security after a win like this against a bottom-feeder. Let’s hope the team looks at this game as a confidence-booster and not as a sign that everything is back on track.

Coming up next, they face a much tougher test against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 9 at 7:00 P.S.T.