Grizzlies stay hot at home, outlast Suns 125-118

Grizzlies outlast Suns 125-118

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rudy Gay scored 31 points, Zach Randolph added 27 points and 11 rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies finished a four-game home stretch undefeated with a 125-118 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

O.J. Mayo added 28 points for Memphis, which extended its franchise-best home winning streak to nine games. Marc Gasol had 19 points.

Six Suns were in double figures led by Steve Nash with 22 points and 12 assists. Robin Lopez had a career-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field, and Grant Hill scored 16. Leandro Barbosa finished with 14, and Amare Stoudemire added 12 points and nine rebounds. Louis Amundson had 10 points for the Suns, who dropped their fourth straight.

Memphis, which led by 11 with 2:22 left, almost squandered the advantage as the Grizzlies struggled from the line down the stretch, allowing the Suns to pull within 119-115 on Barbosa’s steal and layup with 47 seconds left. His 3-pointer with 21.9 seconds remaining cut the lead to 121-118.

But Memphis hung on when Gasol hit a pair of free throws with 20 seconds remaining for the victory.

Both teams had significant rallies, with the lead changing in the first half before Memphis had a 58-56 advantage into the break.

Phoenix took an early lead, but Memphis erased the margin and pulled away with an 18-2 run in the opening period for its first double-digit advantage. Phoenix connected on only two of its final 11 shots in the first quarter as Memphis built the lead.

The Suns used their defense to key a 20-5 run in the second quarter.

Mayo had five points in the final minute of the second quarter, to give the Grizzlies the lead at the break.

The game remained close through much of the third quarter. Memphis was able to get the lead back to 10, but the Suns kept chipping away at the advantage as Nash guided the Suns offense.

Memphis was still able to hold onto the lead — 88-86 — entering the fourth, with Gay scoring a dozen points in the third.

NOTES: The Suns have an 18-game losing streak on games broadcast by TNT, which had Monday’s game. … Nash, who started the day leading the league in free-throw shooting at 94.9 percent, missed the first of two free throws midway through the third period, snapping a string of 31 straight. His previous miss was Jan. 2. … The Grizzlies recognized former NBA players Oscar Robertson and Alonzo Mourning on Monday with the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award for their contributions to civil and human rights. The award is presented annually in conjunction with the team’s Martin Luther King Day festivities. … In an effort to shake up his lineup after losing three straight, Suns coach Alvin Gentry started Lopez at center and Barbosa at guard in place of Channing Frye and Jason Richardson. … The Suns finished a four-game road trip with Monday’s game. The Grizzlies are 4-4 in MLK Day games.