RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- Two games into the season, Portland coach Mike
Dunleavy doesn't like what he's seeing out of a Trail Blazers' team
that is supposed to challenge the Los Angeles Lakers in the West.
Tony Delk scored 22 in his home debut for Phoenix and Shawn
Marion added 21 points and 10 rebounds Thursday night as the Suns
routed the Blazers 108-82.
The 26-point loss was worse than any the Blazers' had last
season.
"Basically, I'm just totally disappointed where we are,"
Dunleavy said. "I've been quietly saying this for about a week to
10 days. I haven't been happy with the way we've been responding.
It's totally my fault. We just need to be pushed harder and worked
harder."
Jason Kidd, who had a triple-double in the Suns' season-opening
loss at Golden State on Tuesday night, had 16 points, 12 assists
and seven rebounds.
Delk, signed as a free agent in the offseason, was 5-for-6 from
3-point range. He has learned quickly how much fun it is to play
alongside Kidd.
"I think he's the best point guard in the game. I've always
felt that," Delk said. "He looks to pass first. He really gets
his teammates involved."
Kidd's advice to Delk: keep shooting.
"His nickname is 'Tony Buckets,"' Kidd said. "We get him the
ball and he knows what to do with it."
Six Suns hit double figures as Phoenix's reserves outscored
their Blazers counterparts 57-33.
Rodney Rogers scored 16, all but two in the first half, and
7-foot-1 rookie Daniel Santiago scored his first 11 NBA points, 10
in the first half.
Shawn Kemp scored 21 as a reserve for Portland, 11 in the first
quarter. Rasheed Wallace added 20 and Steve Smith 13.
Scottie Pippen played despite a sprained left ankle, an injury
that occurred when he stepped on a referee's foot during Tuesday
night's season-opening homecourt loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He
finished with 10 points in 34 minutes on 2-for-8 shooting.
The Suns opened a 21-point lead late in the second quarter, were
up 64-45 at the break and led by as many as 27 in the third.
Wallace scored the first six of the fourth quarter to cap a 14-0
run that cut the lead to 83-69 with 9:51 to play.
But after Phoenix coach Scott Skiles called a timeout, the Suns
scored the next nine to go up 92-69 on Cliff Robinson's driving
layup with 8:25 to go. Robinson had 12 points.
"From an effort standpoint, we looked like we were out of
shape," Dunleavy said. "We were not ready to respond to what they
were bringing to us."
The Blazers, off to an 0-2 start for only the seventh time in
the franchise's 31-year history, committed 26 turnovers, resulting
in 29 points for the Suns.
"Everybody's upset," said Portland's Damon Stoudamire. "`We
didn't expect to come out of the box 0-2, and it doesn't get any
easier."
Stoudamire was asked if the team took too casual an attitude in
training camp.
"Probably," he said, "but I don't know if that had any effect
on how we're playing right now. We've just got to understand we
can't turn it on and off."
Turnovers are just what Kidd needs to rev up the offense.
"He gets from end to end faster than anybody in the world in
basketball," Skiles said.
Santiago scored inside to cap an 11-0 spurt that put Phoenix
ahead 33-25 with 10:32 to go in the first half.
Another 9-2 spurt gave the Suns a 55-38 lead on Rogers'
three-point play, after a slick pass from Kidd, with 3:28 left in
the half.
Rogers made one of two free throws at the end of a 7-0 run and
Phoenix led 62-41 with 1:14 to go in the half.
"The second quarter their bench just dusted us," Dunleavy
said.
The Suns started the game just 1-for-7, but wound up shooting 56
percent from the field in the first half (24-for-43).
Game
notes
The Blazers were called for six technicals -- on Dale Davis,
Stoudamire, Kemp, Dunleavy and two for illegal defense. ... Each of
the nine Blazers who played in the first half had at least one
turnover. ... The crowd of 18,436 marked the first time the Suns
have not sold out a home opener since they opened America West
Arena in 1992. ... While the Blazers are without Arvydas Sabonis
and Detlef Schrempf, Phoenix doesn't have Penny Hardaway or Tom
Gugliotta. ... The Suns topped 100 points for only the second time
in 10 games against Portland. ... The Blazers' worst loss last
season was 109-90 against Toronto on March 6.
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NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 94
Atlanta 69
Dallas 94
Indiana 88
San Antonio 103
Minnesota 91
Houston 115
Milwaukee 93
Denver 101
Golden State 97
Phoenix 108
Portland 82
Vancouver 99
LA Clippers 91
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