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Blazers survive three shots in closing seconds

Nov 14, 2013 - 7:31 AM Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - Damian Lillard's layup with 6.9 seconds remaining lifted the Portland Trail Blazers to a 90-89 win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.

Miles Plumlee put the Suns ahead by one with 51.9 seconds left to play. After empty possessions both ways, Portland called timeout to advance the ball to midcourt. Lillard took the inbounds pass and used a LaMarcus Aldridge screen to turn the corner and finish an uncontested layup at the rim.

"We ran it exactly how we drew it up," Lillard said of his go-ahead bucket. "It was a pick-and-roll with me and L.A. (Aldridge) and I came off and as soon as I came off it was wide open so it was an easy read."

Phoenix had a number of chances in the closing seconds. Eric Bledsoe drove on Nicolas Batum and missed a layup, but P.J. Tucker kept it alive with a tip shot that bounced off the back of the rim to Markieff Morris. Morris caught the rebound and had one final look, but his layup hung on the rim and fell off as the clock hit zero.

"Eric (Bledsoe) probably got fouled on the layup, and then we had two tip-ins that were point-blank," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said of the final possession. "A tough one to take. That's the way it goes. You're going to win some of those close games, and lose some."

Thomas Robinson had 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench for Portland, while Robin Lopez contributed a 13-point, 15-rebound double-double. Aldridge and Lillard had 12 and 11 points, respectively, on a combined 9-for-32 from the field.

The Blazers have won four in a row and six of seven after dropping the season opener in Phoenix.

Bledsoe paced Phoenix with 23 points and six assists. Gerald Green scored 17 points and Plumlee registered 10 points and 10 boards in the setback.

Goran Dragic and Green hit back-to-back 3's early in the fourth, pushing the Suns' lead to 77-69. Portland responded with a Robinson putback slam and a Wesley Matthews triple with 7:31 on the clock, and neither team led by more than four the rest of the way.

Mo Williams capped the third quarter with a deep 3-pointer, which he banked in as time expired to pull the Blazers within 68-62.

Phoenix trailed 25-22 after the first but took a 43-41 lead into the locker room after closing the opening half on a 19-11 run.

Game Notes

Aldridge has recorded three straight double-doubles ... Batum was held without an assist for the first time this season ... The Blazers will start a four- game road trip in Boston on Friday.