Blazers slide as playoffs near

AP photo

The Portland Trail Blazers went cold in the third quarter as part of a 132-120 loss at Phoenix, the team's second straight defeat as the NBA Playoffs loom in two weeks.

Phoenix outscored the Blazers 37-17 in the third, and took a two-game lead over the Blazers in the race for fourth place in the Western Conference.

Portland still sits in fifth place, but is just a half-game ahead of San Antonio.

The Blazers play tonight at Denver, which is in seventh place, two games back.

Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 24 points, and seven assists. Gary Trent, Jr. had 11 points, but no other Portland starter finished in double figures. 

Enes Kanter had six points and 15 rebounds. Nassir Little had 18 points off the bench.

Devin Booker had 34 points and Chris Paul had nine assists to lead Phoenix.

Portland, 18-12, had a six-game win streak snapped Satuday night, but is still 3.5 games ahead of ninth-place Dallas and Memphis with five games remaining in the regular season.