Portland Trail Blazers Team Report - January 16

(Basketball News) - The Portland Trail Blazers dropped their third straight game on Thursday with a 105-96 loss to the lowly Phoenix Suns.

Zach Randolph paced the Blazers with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Ruben Patterson scored a season-high 21 points for Portland, which has lost four of its last five and seven of its last eight games. Derek Anderson had 14 points in the loss.

Wesley Person’s three-pointer pulled the Blazers within four at 88-84 with less than seven minutes to go in the game. Phoenix, however, made sure the Blazers got no closer and earned the nine-point win.

The Blazers continued to play without forward Rasheed Wallace, who missed his fourth straight game with a sprained ankle. However, rumors continue to circulate that a deal for the volatile forward could be imminent, that is why he is sitting out. Team officials have denied those reports, saying his ankle is really injured.

Elsewhere on the injury front the Blazers activated forward Travis Outlaw and center Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje before the game. Outlaw had tendinitis in both knees and Boumtje Boumtje had a strained left ankle.

The Blazers return to action on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks, who are rumored to be the team involved in the Wallace talks.