No chance given! Yang Hansen did not play, Klingen scored 14+15 in vain, and despite eight Trail Blazers scoring in double digits, they still lost to the Suns.

On February 4th, Beijing time, during the NBA regular season, the Trail Blazers faced the Suns at home. The Trail Blazers dominated early and held the advantage through the first half. But the game turned in the third quarter as Gillespie delivered an impressive performance. Klingen played strongly but couldn't turn the tide. Yang Hansen remained on the bench, and although eight Trail Blazers players scored in double figures, the team fell to the Suns 130-125.

Statistics:

Suns: Gillespie 30 points and 10 assists, Dillon 11 points, O’Neal 11 points, Maw 24 points and 12 rebounds, Allen 24 points, Goodwin 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Trail Blazers: Kamara 13 points and 11 rebounds, Grant 23 points, Klingen 14 points and 15 rebounds, Sharp 19 points, Holiday 15 points, Wesley 10 points, Sisoko 12 points, Rowe 14 points.

Game progress:

In the first quarter, Klingen started with a three-pointer, but the Suns quickly responded with 4 straight points. Then the Suns went cold, allowing the Trail Blazers to go on a 13-0 run. Maw converted a 2+1 to stop the bleeding, but Portland kept up the pressure with a 10-2 scoring run, extending the lead to nearly 20 points. Klingen was outstanding, almost unstoppable, and the Trail Blazers maintained a lead of over 15 points for much of the quarter. Toward the end, the Suns managed a 7-2 run. After the first quarter, the Trail Blazers led 41-30 by 11 points.

In the second quarter, both teams exchanged points, keeping the margin in double digits. Early in the quarter, the Trail Blazers even stretched the lead back to around 14 points. However, the Suns’ bench stepped up, going on a 9-3 run to quickly cut the gap. Rowe hit a three-pointer to halt the momentum, but the Suns kept chipping away, and with Maw’s put-back basket, the lead was down to just 3 points. Fortunately, Holiday scored on the final possession of the half, and at halftime, the Trail Blazers held a narrow 72-67 lead.

In the third quarter, Klingen’s impact faded as the Suns began their comeback. Gillespie nailed a three-pointer to reduce the deficit to 2 points. Sharp scored two points, but Allen responded with consecutive three-pointers, tying the game at 76. The teams then battled back and forth, reaching 84-all. Late in the quarter, the Suns found their rhythm and went on a 9-3 run to take a 6-point lead. Although Rowe managed to score, the Suns closed the quarter with a 5-2 run, ending the third quarter ahead 101-94 by 7 points.

In the final quarter, Sharp and Grant hit consecutive shots trying to close the gap, but the Suns countered with a 7-2 run, halting the Trail Blazers’ comeback. The Suns then unleashed an 8-3 run to establish a double-digit lead. Sharp emphatically dunked over Maw and completed a 2+1 play, but Maw quickly answered with a put-back. With three minutes left, the Suns still maintained a double-digit lead, though the Trail Blazers fought back with a 9-2 run. Maw scored again to stop the bleeding. Grant hit a crucial three-pointer to keep hopes alive, but Allen responded with a clutch three-pointer. O’Neal then made a decisive steal, and Maw’s powerful dunk sealed the game. The Suns ultimately defeated the Trail Blazers 130-125.

Starting lineups for both teams:

Suns: Dillon, Allen, O’Neal, Gillespie, Maw.

Trail Blazers: Kamara, Grant, Klingen, Sharp, Holiday.