The AP reports:
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Andre Miller scored 15 points in the fourth quarter and tied his career playoff high with 31 points as the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers stole homecourt advantage from Phoenix with a 105-100 victory over the Suns on Sunday night.
Methodical Portland was a tough matchup for the Suns all season and it was no different in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, despite the absence of the Blazers’ scoring leader, Brandon Roy.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 points and Nicolas Batum 18 for Portland. Jerryd Bayless also had 18 for the Blazers, 10 in the fourth quarter, but missed two free throws with 12.2 seconds left to give Phoenix a shot to tie. Steve Nash’s 3-point try was well short, though, and Miller’s two free throws iced the victory.
Marcus Camby grabbed 17 rebounds for Portland, two shy off his career playoff best.
InsideHoops.com Adds:
For the Suns, Steve Nash had 25 points and nine assists. Amar’e Stoudemire had 18 (but on 19 shots) with eight rebounds. But Jason Richardson (4-of-12) and Grant Hill (2-of-9) struggled, and the Suns got very little from centers Jarron Collins and Channing Frye.
Portland got to the foul line 31 times, Phoenix just 16.
