Jerome Miron/US Presswire

Ryan Christopher DeVault of Yahoo.com has added another name to the Portland Trail Blazers’ list of starting point guard prospects. This time, it’s Ramon Sessions, who decided to opt out of the last year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. DeVault believes Sessions could be the right fit for Portland:

“The Portland Trail Blazers could potentially go after point guard Ramon Sessions when the NBA free agency period finally begins. Sessions becomes another option on the open market after it got revealed that the will be opting out of his current contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. I think that he becomes a very interesting option for the Blazers, especially because the team has so much room available under the current salary cap to work with.”

“I thought Sessions did really well with the Lakers after getting acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers during this past NBA season. He bumped up his averages to 12.7 points and 6.2 assists per game, playing heavy minutes for the Lakers down the stretch. Two numbers that I really like the best from him are his 47.9 shooting percentage and his 48.6 percent success from three-point range. Those are exactly the type of numbers that the Blazers could use at the point guard slot for the 2012-13 NBA season and beyond.”

The 26-year-old, whose player option is valued at $4.55 million, was sent to the Lakers from Cleveland on the March 15 trade deadline to replace Los Angeles veteran point guard Derek Fisher, who was shipped to Houston. Sessions started 19 of his 23 regular-season games with the Lakers and averaged 12.7 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds. In the Western Conference Quarterfinals this year, he scored 12 or more points five times in the seven-game series win over the Denver Nuggets, including 15 points, six assists and nine rebounds in the Game 3 loss. Against Oklahoma City in the Semifinals, Sessions only averaged 6.8 points and three assists as the Thunder beat the Lakers in five games.

Sessions could be a nice pick up for the Trail Blazers if they decide to stray away from the big, pricey free agent names like Steve Nash and Deron Williams come July 1. But first, we’ll have to see how the Trail Blazers play their  No. 6 and No. 11 picks in the June 28 NBA Draft. Many mock drafts have Portland selecting Weber State’s point guard Damian Lillard with the sixth pick.

Do you think Session could be a free agent steal for the Blazers?

The Phoenix Suns stepped on the gas Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers to move into the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Marcin Gortat scored a double double with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Suns turned up the tempo with 27 fast-break buckets to speed past Portland 125-107 at US Airways Center.

Phoenix (32-29) jumped Houston for the eight seed after shooting 60% from the field to coast to a 23-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Channing Frye scored 12 of his 19 points in the second, Jared Dudley had 18 points and Shannon Brown added 16.

Portland (28-34) eliminated any chance to make the playoffs after its defense allowed the most points this entire season.

J.J. Hickson and Jamal Crawford recorded 22 points for the Trail Blazers as they dropped their third straight game.  Crawford returned after not playing in Sunday’s loss in Sacramento.

Jonny Flynn and Luke Babbitt entered Portland’s starting lineup for the first time this season replacing Raymond Felton (family) and Nicolas Batum (quadriceps).

Babbitt made the most of his minutes, scoring a career-high 18 points and knocking down four threes, tying his career best. Wesley Matthews ended with 19.

Babbitt scored 13 first-half points with 10 coming in the second to pull the Trail Blazers within three after starting the quarter down 11.

That was as close as Portland would get.

Frye found his rhythm before halftime for 12 points to enter the third with Phoenix up 66-53. Steve Nash dished out 13 assists.

The Suns continued their hot shooting in the second half as they opened the fourth on an 8-0 run to lead 105-82.

Markieff Morris scored 14 points and Sebastian Telfair chipped in with 12 for Phoenix.

Trail Blazer rookie guard Nolan Smith ended with a career-high 14 points.

Portland will return home on April 18, to host the Utah Jazz at the Rose Garden. Tipoff starts at 7pm.

If the Portland Trail Blazers hope to make a playoff  appearance, they will have to make a push soon.

With five games left on their schedule, the Trail Blazers will have to win out–and also wish for a dramatic collapse of Denver, Houston, Phoenix and Utah– when they travel to US Airway Center on Monday to face the Suns in the second of a back-to-back.

Tipoff is at 7pm.

Portland (28-33) is now 4 1/2 games out of the eight spot in the West–held by Houston–after falling to the Sacramento Kings on the road in the final seconds of Sunday’s 104-103 loss.

Wesley Matthews scored 31 points and hit a career-high 8-of-10 from downtown, Raymond Felton and Nicolas had 19 and 14 respectively and J.J. Hickson added 10 points and 13 rebounds as Portland fell to Marcus Thornton’s game-winning jumper with 3.4 seconds left to lift the Kings.

The Trail Blazers, No. 11, will get a chance to rebound in their second contest in two nights.

The Suns (31-29) return home from a four-game road trip which included Saturday’s 105-91 road loss in San Antonio.

Sebastian Telfair scored 21 points, Michael Redd had 13 and Markieff Morris added 10 for Phoenix as the Suns found themselves in a 22-point hole in the first quarter.

Despite Saturday’s loss, Phoenix is still positioned just outside the playoff hunt in the No. 9 spot. The Suns are one game behind the Rockets and just a half a game in front of the Jazz, who are also looking to sneak into the postseason.

Phoenix will play five of its remaining six regular season games at home. Against Portland, home-court advantage has been critical with both teams splitting the series 1-1 with each win gone in favor of the home team.

On Jan 27, The Trail Blazers dropped the Suns 109-71 at the Rose Garden behind 23 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and 20 rebounds from former Blazer Marcus Camby. Jamal Crawford had 10 assists.

Phoenix’s Jared Dudley scored 18 points and Robin Lopez hauled in 12 rebounds as the Suns posted a 102-77 win at home on Jan 6. Steve Nash had nine assists.

Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge (right hip), Elliot Williams (left shoulder) and Shawne Wiliams (left foot) will not play.