Final Score: Phoenix Suns Lose To Portland Trail Blazers; 87-81

The Phoenix Suns start the game with Eric Bledsoe, P.J. Tucker, Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, and Alex Len. Brandon Knight is out again for the eighth consecutive game.

As for the Portland Trail Blazers, they begin the game with Damian Lillard, Arron Afflalo, Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Robin Lopez. Chris Kaman is also active for tonight's game.

First Quarter

The Blazers start off cold, but  Markieff hits a two in the paint and a 3 at the top of the break to get on the board for the Suns as Phoenix jumps out to a 5-0 lead.

LaMarcus Aldridge looks much bigger than Markieff out there. Supposedly only a one inch difference, but there's more.

Suns are moving the ball well, if nothing else. They are missing some shots but getting good looks.

Alex Len cleans up a Bledsoe miss by getting great pre-shot positioning on opposite side of the basket. Suns bigs need to do more of this.

Portland is getting everything they want right now...dialed in.

Archie Goodwin checks in...Let's see if he can give the Suns a spark.

Brandan Wright gets on the board with a jump hook five feet out.

Marcus Morris hits a buzzer beater...kind of...At the end of the first quarter and the Suns are down 8, 29-21.

Second Quarter

A.J. Price starts the second quarter...sigh

Portland continues the hot shooting to start the second quarter. Suns are making some shots, but they aren't getting stops to catch up.

Archie goes for the aggressive two-handed dunk but gets fouled at the rim.

Gerald Green checking in...To thunderous applause from the crowd.

Green three!  And the crowd goes wild.

Marcus hits a three now, and the Suns are starting to catch up slowly.

G3rald Gr33n with another three! Suns are now tied.

Suns have tied the game behind the three-point shooting of Gerald Green, along with Marcus Morris. Plus they have gotten some stops finally.

Len peels off to cover a driving Lillard, but nobody rotates over to a free Lopez for the easy follow in.

Bledsoe hits a big shot at the end of the first half to once again tie the game for the Suns. 47-47

Third Quarter

Markieff hits the first two jump shots for the Suns to take an early third quarter lead 51-49.

Once again, when Len switches off to challenge the shot of the penetrating guard, someone else has to rotate over.

LaMarcus Aldridge is good at basketball.

P.J. Tucker does a good job of absorbing contact and finishing in the post. Would like to see more of it.

Bledsoe is unstoppable when he wants to be. Great drive to the rim with the and-one finish while Portland's defense was asleep.

Suns up 61-56 halfway through the third...Can they hold on?

Len's basket waived off as offensive interference as he tipped in Archie's shot...it was probably going to go in.

LaMarcus Aldridge wouldn't be denied there...Gets the foul as he battled for the loose ball with three orange jerseys.

Archie makes a nice cut to the rim and Markieff finds him for the dunk.

Archie with another move to get to the basket for the score.

Suns now up 66-60 going into the final quarter...What happens next?

Fourth Quarter

Win or lose, you can't say the Suns aren't playing with energy right now. Can they finish strong?

Gerald Green with the crazy, fade-to-the-side, line-drive shot...that goes in.

Gerald is talking to himself again...I think that's a good thing.

Marcus Morrfis getting into the action with a hook inside...Suns still up 4.

Blazers get a D-3 technical and the SUns extend the lead to 5.

Robin Lopez just took it inside on the Suns with a beastly move and dunk to finish.

Suns still up three, but missing some shots that could put this game away. Still half the 4th quarter to play.

Nice skip pass by Bledsoe, but Markieff couldn't hit the open jumper.

Suns only up two because of missed shots...Then Lillard hits the and-one, but can't convert the free throw. Tie game.

Now a D-3 on the Suns...Lillard hits this one.

Aldridge hits a shot after another Suns miss, Portland now up 3.

Aldridge is taking over...and the Suns have no answers.

Game Over, Suns Lose

It was a low scoring game, but the Suns played pretty well in the gind-it-out style,  all things considered, but a tough Portland team all but sealed the Suns' fate on the season now.

Don't worry though, Suns' fans, the future is still bright.