Phoenix Extends Portland’s Skid

Joe Johnson scored the go-ahead rebound basket with 18.1 seconds to play, and the Phoenix Suns handed the Portland Trail Blazers their fifth loss in a row, 96-92, Sunday night at Phoenix.

Johnson, averaging 20 points per game since Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway were traded to New York, has scored 20, 26 and 25 points in his last three games as the Suns matched their season-long winning streak at three.

The Trail Blazers have lost nine of 10, including two to Phoenix during a five-day span.

Shawn Marion had 22 points and 16 rebounds, and Leandro Barbosa scored 20 for the Suns, who overcame 21 turnovers that resulted in 28 Portland points.

Zach Randolph scored 25 for the Trail Blazers, on their longest losing streak in two seasons. Rasheed Wallace scored 19, but only six in the second half and none in the fourth quarter.

Portland led, 92-90, after Randolph’s three-point play with 2:26 left, but missed its last eight shots, four by Wallace.

Marion, whose rebound basket tied the score, 92-92, with 1:19 to play, threw up an airball from eight feet, but Johnson grabbed it and scored to give the Suns a 94-92 lead with 18.1 seconds left. After another Wallace miss, Marion sealed it with two free throws with 6.4 seconds left.

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San Antonio 109, Boston 92 -- Rasho Nesterovic had a season-high 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Tony Parker scored 20 points -- all by halftime at Boston -- to help the Spurs extend their winning streak against the Celtics to 12 games.

The Celtics never got closer than 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Spurs took their biggest lead, 95-70, on Bruce Bowen’s basket with 5:14 left.

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Denver 88, Miami 80 -- Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points on 12-for-17 shooting to lead the Nuggets past the road-weary Heat, playing the final game of its longest trip of the season -- six games in 10 days.

Lamar Odom scored 26 points for the Heat.