Blazers fret about turnovers before Suns game

The Portland Trail Blazers need to improve on turnovers. The Phoenix Suns need to get better at composure.

Both teams have immediate goals heading into Thursday night's matchup in Phoenix.

The Trail Blazers, who had cut down on turnovers in recent games, had 19 giveaways that led to 29 Oklahoma City points in a 123-114 road loss on Tuesday. The Thunder had 16 steals -- six in the decisive fourth quarter.

"We just had too many turnovers," Portland guard Damian Lillard said.

"When you're in the game and have a chance down the stretch, you have to take care of the ball. We didn't do that, and that led to points for them."

"We always have better results when we do a good job of taking care of the ball," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "So it's disappointing that, when we don't, we don't give ourselves as good a chance to win."

Phoenix guard Devin Booker was ejected after getting a pair of technical fouls following a skirmish with Minnesota's Gorgui Dieng in Tuesday's 118-91 dismantling home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Booker then attempted to get at Dieng -- who was also booted from the game -- outside the visitors' locker room.

Several Suns players said afterward they felt they got the bad end of the officiating, but Booker admits part of it could be frustration over a five-game losing streak. The Suns have lost 12 of their past 14 outings.

"I think we're looking for respect that we have to earn still," Booker said.

"We realize that. We're at the bottom of the West. ... We can complain about calls every game, but nobody respects us, and we should know that by now. If you're not one of those top teams, you're going to have to work for it."

Booker has the respect of the Blazers, who have seen him score at least 30 points in four of the past five meetings between the clubs. Booker is averaging 24.2 points and 6.9 assists overall this season.

The Suns, who have lost seven in a row in the series with Portland, could be without multiple starters. Forward T.J. Warren (ankle) is out. Rookie center DeAndre Ayton (sprained ankle) was listed as questionable on Wednesday. So, too, was backup big man Richaun Holmes (sprained foot).

Ayton and Holmes have missed the past two games.

Portland guard CJ McCollum will be coming off one of his most productive games of the season. McCollum scored 31 points -- 21 in a torrid third quarter -- and finished 7 of 12 from 3-point range against the Thunder.

"It's good to see the ball go in like that," McCollum said.

"I tried to be aggressive. (Center Jusuf Nurkic) did a good job of making reads on the pick-and-roll. I scored off of back-doors and movement. When we executed it right, it was there. But sometimes we turned it over, and that was costly."

The Blazers were playing the second of back-to-back games.

"But no excuses," McCollum said. "It's never easy. We were playing against a good team. It's part of the game."

--Field Level Media