Suns 86 - 109 Trail Blazers
Final
  for this game

Blazers rout Suns to clinch playoff berth

Mar 31, 2015 - 5:14 AM Portland, OR (SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers clinched a second straight playoff berth emphatically Monday night.

Damian Lillard had 19 points and seven assists as the Blazers routed the Phoenix Suns 109-86.

"It was a good way to clinch a playoff spot," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "Third quarter was terrific."

LaMarcus Aldridge posted 17 points and seven rebounds, while Nicolas Batum and Arron Afflalo netted 16 points apiece for Portland, which has won four straight on the heels of a five-game losing streak.

The Blazers' magic number to clinch the Northwest Division got reduced to three.

Gerald Green and T.J. Warren poured in 13 points apiece off the bench to lead the Suns, who have dropped four consecutive contests.

Portland had already led by six points at the break, but seized complete control after outscoring Phoenix 37-16 in the third.

The Blazers were up nine before a 15-2 run put the game out of reach. Lillard, Batum and Afflalo knocked down 3-pointers during the surge, which was capped on an Aldridge dunk for a 77-55 advantage.

Portland took a 92-65 margin into the fourth, where it coasted to the easy win.

Game Notes

Portland has not won a divisional title in six years ... Phoenix, which is four games behind Oklahoma City for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, will play five of its last seven games on the road ... The Blazers led by as many as 31 ... Suns center Alex Len left the game in the second half with an apparent broken nose.






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