Grizzlies-Suns Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jan 06 2013 1:34AM

Wins in Phoenix have been hard to come by for the Memphis Grizzlies, and they could find themselves in an even bigger hole if Zach Randolph can't play.

The Grizzlies are hoping to have Randolph available as they try to avoid a 12th loss in 14 road meetings with the scuffling Suns on Sunday night.

Averaging 16.7 points and 12.3 rebounds to rank second in the league, Randolph was scratched prior to Friday's 86-84 loss to Portland due to flu-like symptoms. Marreese Speights - starting in place of Randolph - posted season highs of 22 points and 13 boards for Memphis (20-10), which suffered its fourth defeat in six games despite outscoring the Trail Blazers 46-28 in the paint.

Rudy Gay added 19 points and nine rebounds while Marc Gasol scored 12 to go along with a franchise best-tying eight blocks.

"We went to Marc and we went to Rudy down in the post, but obviously Z-Bo is the guy that we rely on in the post down the stretch," said coach Lionel Hollins, whose team was limited to a season-worst 12 points in the fourth quarter. "Anybody who loses one of their best players is going to feel it, and we felt it at a crucial part of the game."

Randolph traveled with the team to Phoenix (12-22) but his status for Sunday is unknown. The former All-Star leads the NBA with 22 double-doubles, two of which came against the Suns.

He proved nearly unstoppable with season highs of 38 points and 22 boards in a 108-98 overtime victory Dec. 4, then compiled 18 and 10 during a heartbreaking 82-80 road loss Dec. 12. The Grizzlies are 6-28 all-time in Phoenix, though their last three losses there have come by a combined 11 points.

Phoenix went on to win its next three games after its last meeting with Memphis but has since dropped seven of eight while averaging just 92.0 points.

Those offensive struggles were on full display Friday in an 87-80 loss to Utah, which limited the Suns to a season-low nine points on 4-of-19 shooting (21.1 percent) in the second quarter. Phoenix also managed just 40 points in the second half.

"We have to do a better job of getting ourselves in position and getting ourselves set so that we can run our offense and execute it to the point that we can get good shots," coach Alvin Gentry said.

In addition to getting outscored 60-28 in the paint, the Suns turned the ball over a season-high 21 times and dropped to 1-9 when committing 16 or more.

"Well obviously, the biggest problem was turnovers," said Marcin Gortat, who had 18 points and 11 boards. "Second thing, we are not helping each other on all different screens and rolls. ... Basically, it is just all about competing and playing hard right now. And quite honestly we are not doing it."

The Suns are 5-20 when giving up more than 90 points but 7-2 when holding teams to that mark or lower. The Grizzlies have been limited to an average of 87.7 points in their last six.

Goran Dragic, who scored the game-winning bucket versus Memphis with 0.5 seconds remaining Dec. 12, is averaging 18.5 points on 51.7 percent shooting in two games in 2013.

Randolph leads Grizzlies over Suns

By JONATHAN DALTON
Posted Jan 06 2013 11:24PM

PHOENIX (AP) When Zach Randolph found his shooting stroke Sunday night, the Memphis Grizzlies took off.

Randolph scored 21 points and Rudy Gay added 20 to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 92-81 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

"Zach got going in the post and so we had a few options to run with," said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins. "It was a solid win."

Randolph had been dominant in the team's first two meetings, averaging 16 rebounds and 28 points on 66.7 percent shooting. Though his numbers were slightly lower this time around - he had only eight rebounds, none on the offensive end - they were more than enough.

Randolph upped his shooting percentage against Phoenix, connecting on 9 of 11 shots from the field and was 3 of 5 on free throws. He also had a steal in 36 minutes.

"It was a good game for us from both ends," Randolph said. "We got stops and everybody chipped in."

Tony Allen scored 11 and Marc Gasol had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who have won three of their last five games.

P.J. Tucker scored a career-high 17 points and Marcin Gortat added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Suns. Guards Goran Dragic and Sebastian Telfair combined for just 12 points and seven assists.

"We wanted to kick it in defensively and if their main guys get stopped, we'd get a win," Gay said. "Those guys don't score, most times they lose."

Phoenix has lost eight of nine and 15 of 20 dating to November 28.

"We're in a bad spot right now," said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. "Number one, we've got to stay together. We can't fragment right now. That's the easiest thing to do. Number two, we've got to play better. And number three, we've got to believe in ourselves. We're not going to play out the season or anything like that."

Despite shooting in the mid-30 percent range for the bulk of the game, Phoenix trailed only 71-65 when Markieff Morris converted a three-point play 31 seconds into the fourth quarter.

But Gasol scored four points, including a fallaway 17-footer, and Gay added a 21-foot jumper to key a 10-3 run that put the Grizzlies ahead 81-68.

"I thought, `here we go,' that we were going to make a fourth-quarter run but we couldn't get any baskets," Tucker said. "We were right there. We're always right there. But we couldn't get any baskets."

The Suns shot 78 percent in the first quarter of a loss Friday to Utah, but struggled from the beginning against Memphis, the NBA's top team in opponent scoring. Phoenix missed its first seven shots and 11 of its first 13 on the way to a 23.8 percent shooting quarter and a 32.5 percent first half.

Yet the Grizzlies held only a five-point lead after the first and a 41-38 advantage at half, largely due to eight turnovers and 0-for-3 shooting from beyond the 3-point line.

"We've got to fight," Gortat said. "Right now, there's only one guy who fights to the end and that's P.J. Tucker. If we all fought like he does we'd be doing much better."

NOTES: Memphis became the first team in the series to win on the road since the Grizzlies won in Phoenix on December 8, 2010. ... The Suns had one fast-break point. ... Phoenix remained stuck on 1,999 franchise victories. ... Memphis is 7-28 in Phoenix. ... Suns guard Wesley Johnson played in the first half for just the seventh time in 35 games, scoring his six points on a pair of 3-pointers. ... The Suns' 38 first-half points were one more than the team's season low. ... Gay is nine minutes short of become the franchise leader in minutes played.

Notebook: Grizzlies 92, Suns 81

Mike Tulumello, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:50 PM - Updated Sun Jan 06, 2013 11:50 PM

THE FACTS: The Memphis Grizzlies, though far from flashy, were more than efficient Sunday night. And that was plenty enough to score an easy 92-81 road win over the punchless Phoenix Suns.

The Grizzlies moved to 21-10 for the first time in franchise history. But they're only 9-8 since Dec. 1, and coach Lionel Hollins lamented the team's shooting problems before the game. Against the Suns, they managed to take high-percentage shots and hit them (53.6 percent).

"We took what came to us," said Zach Randolph, who led the Grizzlies with 21 points and eight rebounds. Rudy Gay added 20 points.

"We got some open shots. ... Zach got going in the post, and we completed some fast breaks," Hollins said.

The Grizzlies were pleased they didn't have to endure a challenging game because they have to play Monday night at Sacramento.

"We have to travel, so it was important we take care of business," Gay said.

The Suns, losers of eight of nine and 16 of 20, fell to 12-23. They got 17 points from small forward P.J. Tucker. They scored 81 or fewer points in consecutive games for the first time since January 2005.

"They do a great job of on-ball defense and attack defense," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said of the Grizzlies. "They just really got us out of anything we were trying to do."

QUOTABLE: "If their main guys get stopped, we get a win."

-- Gay on defending the Suns. Leading scorer Goran Dragic (14.5 average) had just nine points, while Luis Scola (13.1) scored only seven.

THE STAT: The Grizzlies had 19 fast-break points to one for the Suns. With 5:53 left in the game, Shannon Brown drew a foul on a fast-break, hit 1-for-2 from the line to record the point.

TURNING POINT: The Grizzlies never trailed (the game was tied 8-8 early) but had one rough spot. The Suns drew to within 71-65 early in the fourth quarter. Then the Grizzlies turned the ball over five times in five possessions, yet the Suns themselves didn't score during this same period. Next, Marc Gasol scored on a lob from Jerryd Bayless, and the Grizzlies were off on a 17-7 run that made it 88-72.

QUOTABLE II: "It didn't start lately. It's been a long time. It's been 40 percent every time out. We miss layups, and we're not executing on the fast break."
-- Hollins, pre-game, on the Grizzlies' offensive woes. In this game, though, they shot, 53.6 percent.

HOT: Randolph shot 9-for-11. "I picked my spots," he said.

NOT: The Suns shot just 39 percent.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: The Suns dusted off the seldom-used small forward Wesley Johnson. He responded with six points on 2-for-5 shooting in nearly 17 minutes. Johnson may have moved ahead of Michael Beasley, the free-agent bust who now rarely plays. Beasley at first was supplanted by the journeyman Tucker (who has started recently). "We will use him and see if he can help us out," Gentry said.

NOTABLE: The Suns' next win will be the 2,000th in franchise history. ... The Suns' big free-agent signing, Beasley, and No. 1 draft pick, Kendall Marshall, both drew DNP-CDs Sunday.

UP NEXT: For the Grizzlies, Monday @ Sacramento, Wednesday @ Golden State, Friday vs. San Antonio. For the Suns, Tuesday @ Milwaukee, Wednesday @ Boston, Friday @ Brooklyn.

• Grizzlies: Pondexter
• Suns: Frye, Garrett

• Grizzlies: --
• Suns: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #49 Tom Washington, #6 Tony Brown, #34 Kevin Cutler
• Attendance: 13197
• Duration: 2:19