Suns 111, Grizzlies 106
PHOENIX -- Center Alex Len scored 22 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 111-106 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
Forward P.J. Tucker added 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Suns (15-44) won for the first time since they beat the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 23 and avoided tying the franchise record for the most consecutive losses. The Suns lost their last game in the 1995-96 season opened the next year with 13 straight losses.
It was the first win for Phoenix interim coach Earl Watson, who had been 0-9 since taking over for Jeff Hornacek on Feb. 1.
The Suns outrebounded the Grizzlies 56-35, hit 12 3-pointers and still couldn't put away a Memphis team that shot 40 percent from the field.
The Grizzlies trailed 104-98 when Len timed an Archie Goodwin miss and slammed down the rebound with 1:05 left.
Forward Zach Randolph had 19 points but missed nine of 15 shots for the Grizzlies (34-24), who had beaten the Suns eight straight times and five straight in Phoenix.
Guard Mike Conley had 19 points and eight assists and forward Matt Barnes added 16 points each for Memphis, who lost for the second time in six games since losing center Marc Gasol to a season-ending foot injury.
The Grizzlies also lost starting forward Brandan Wright when he injured his right knee in a collision with Suns guard Ronnie Price and had to be helped off the court in the first minute of the third quarter. He did not return.
The Grizzlies came in as a hot-shooting team but missed 11 of 13 shots to open the game, although the Suns committed seven turnovers in the first quarter to match Memphis’ futility.
NOTES: In the first five games after losing C Marc Gasol (broken right foot) for the season, Memphis has shot 49.3 percent from the floor and averaged 108.6 points. ... Memphis coach David Joerger on new G P.J. Hairston, who was acquired from the Charlotte Hornets 10 days ago and is nine of 16 from 3-point range in the last two games: "He's trying to learn what we're doing and this is a great opportunity for him. The new guys are trying to figure anything out, feel out the offense. We're attacking people on offense right now and we want to have that mindset." ... Suns C Tyson Chandler entered the game with 8,956 career rebounds. He needs 19 more to pass Larry Bird for 51st place on the career list. ... Suns interim coach Earl Watson played 240 games with Memphis (2002-05) and was a member of the first playoff team in 2003-04. ... Former Suns player Vince Carter ranked 24th on the NBA career scoring list with 23,788 points coming into Saturday. That is the second most for a player who has ever worn a Phoenix uniform, trailing only Shaquille O'Neal, who had 28,596 points and is seventh all time.