NBA Game Summary - Phoenix at Portland
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.
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.