Brandon Roy scored 24 points and Nicolas Batum added 19 and 11 rebounds Tuesday night as the Portland Trail Blazers got the better of Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, 106-92, in the season opener for both teams.
Marcus Camby chipped in 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Blazers, who outscored the Suns, 31-11, in the fourth quarter and gained a small measure of revenge for last season's first-round playoff loss.
Nash finished with 26 points but just six assists and committed nine turnovers.
Phoenix trailed, 69-64, after Camby converted a layup with 4:37 left in the third quarter but Nash took over, scoring seven points during a 12-2 run to put his team on top, 76-71. The Suns went into the fourth period with an 81-75 edge.
Portland scored the first seven points of the quarter to jump back on top and led, 88-86, with 6:33 left before Nash drove for two straight layups - getting fouled on the second and converting the three-point play. But Nash committed two turnovers over the next two minutes as the Blazers got five points each from Batum and Roy during a 12-0 run to take control.
Andre Miller finished with 10 points and nine assists for Portland, which made 10-of-20 3-pointers.
Phoenix | Portland | |
Steve Nash 26 | Scoring | Brandon Roy 24 |
Steve Nash 6 | Assists | Andre Miller 9 |
Channing Frye 6 | Rebounds | Nicolas Batum 11 |
Steve Nash 4 | Free Throws Made | LaMarcus Aldridge 2 |
Steve Nash 1 | Steals | Rudy Fernandez 3 |
Channing Frye 2 | Blocks | LaMarcus Aldridge 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Phoenix | 92 | 48.6 | 9-19 | 11-16 | 15 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 19 |
Portland | 106 | 46.2 | 10-20 | 10-15 | 31 | 48 | 2 | 11 | 15 |