BY ROBERT KREMERS

Phoenix, Ariz.--The Portland Trail Blazers (1-2) led by as many as eight points but lost to the Phoenix Suns (2-1) 107-96 at US Airways Center. The loss marks the Trail Blazers' tenth-straight loss to the Suns.

LaMarcus Aldridge started the game looking to score, taking 11 shots in the first quarter, mixing his mid-range game and his low-post moves to score eight points in the first half. Aldridge had a shot blocked by Shaquille O’Neal in the first quarter, but he scrambled to grab the loose ball and banked in a one-handed toss at the hoop shot as the shot-clock buzzer sounded. Aldridge finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

The first half was a game of runs in a back-and-forth battle. The Suns built a 12-point lead in the first quarter, but the Trail Blazers were able to fight back and built an eight-point lead in the second quarter thanks to the great play of Portland's second unit. The "white unit" outscored the Suns second unit 22-7 in the first half.

"I thought we played a good first half," said Nate McMillan. "We were able to fight back and get ourselves back into the game and take a lead. I thought the second group came in and was able to be aggressive and get to the basket"

Rudy Fernandez, who finished the game with 20 points, tallied all nine of his first-half points in the second quarter on 4-6 shooting, which including an acrobatic-ally-oop layup from Sergio Rodriguez.

It was a very balanced attack by the second unit. In a one-minute span in the middle of the second quarter, Rodriguez drained a three-pointer, Travis Outlaw hit a tough baseline fade-away jumper and Fernandez hit a three. Nicolas Batum was once again very active on the defensive front, adding two steals in the second quarter.

"I think the second unit played good defense and they can fast break when Steve Nash doesn’t play" said Fernandez. "They were more physical tonight. It’s difficult to play back to back against big teams like San Antonio and Phoenix. These are strong teams and we will learn from these games."

When the starters checked back in Phoenix went on a 14-4 run to take a 49-47 lead.

Steve Blake hit back-to-back three pointers to start the second half, but the Trail Blazers could not get the defensive stops they needed and continued to trade baskets with the Suns’ high-powered offense. Once again, the Suns starters out-manned the Trail Blazers and took an eight point lead to finish the third up 80-to-72. Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 16 points in the third quarter. He finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

"In the third quarter they came out and were more physical with us on the defensive end of the floor," said McMillan. "We started to settle for the jump shot. They just packed in their defense and we shot the ball from the perimeter. We can attack that zone or their man (defense) but we didn’t do that.

"They were the aggressors. They got 30 free throws tonight to our 14. Amare and Shaquille are very physical guys. At times, they just overpowered us in the paint."

The Suns zone defense forced the Trail Blazers to take a lot of deep shots in the fourth quarter. Playing the second night of a back-to-back, Portland simply couldn’t hit enough shots or defend Phoenix’s offensive onslaught. The Suns easily maintained their lead and walked off the court with a 107-96 win.

"I just thought they played with more energy than we did in the third quarter," said Brandon Roy, who finished with 20 points, four assists and two blocks. "We didn’t do a good job of guarding them and they were just a more physical team tonight. Amare shot the ball well inside tonight."

The Trail Blazers play the Utah Jazz Wednesday November 5 at 6 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet and The Blazers Radio Network.

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