PHOENIX — Markieff Morris had six of his 24 points during a 13-2 run late in the third quarter and the Phoenix Suns held off the pesky Minnesota Timberwolves 106-97 Wednesday.
Eric Bledsoe added 18 points and nine assists for the Suns, who snapped a two-game losing streak and moved within 2 1/2 games of idle New Orleans for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Suns are two games behind ninth-place Oklahoma City, who lost to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Without guard Brandon Knight (sprained ankle), the Suns got a lift from the bench. Rookie T.J. Warren produced 17 points in 18 minutes and Marcus Thornton added 14 points as six Suns reached double figures.
Kevin Martin had 16 points and Justin Hamilton had 15 for Minnesota, who played without center Kevin Garnett (sore knee).
Without Knight, the Suns started three forwards with Bledsoe and center Alex Len and took some time to get going. They used a 14-4 run midway through the quarter — eight of them by Marcus Morris — to take a 25-14 lead on a Brandan Wright alley-oop basket from Bledsoe with 2:11 left.
Adreian Payne, who started in place of Garnett, had eight points in the quarter but Minnesota missed 17 of 25 field goals and trailed 25-18.
The Timberwolves pulled even with a 10-2 run midway through the second quarter, with Chase Budinger scoring eight points in the quarter and tying the game at 38 on a reverse layin with 3:27 left.
But Warren, who was the ninth man to play for Phoenix, scored the final eight points of the half and had 10 in the quarter for the Suns. His off-balance bank shot inside off a Bledsoe feed extended the Phoenix lead to 50-44 at the half.
Minnesota stayed with the Suns, tying the game three times, the last time at 65 on a Ricky Rubio 22-footer with 4:10 left. But the Timberwolves could never get in front and the Suns closed the quarter on a 13-2 run, including three straight basket from Markieff Morris. The last one, a tip-in with 1:17 left, pushed the Phoenix lead to 78-69 after three quarters.
NOTES: Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said F Kevin Garnett’s knee has been sore since hurting it before the All-Star break. He won’t miss a practice. We’ll have to take away his shoes or something,” Saunders said. “He’ll probably play against Oklahoma City on Friday.” … With G Brandon Knight out, the Suns signed PG Seth Curry to a 10-day contract. The younger brother of Stephen Curry was averaging 23.5 points for the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League. Knight still has swelling in his ankle and is doubtful for Friday’s game with Atlanta. … C Alex Len recorded the 10th double-double of his career with 10 points and 11 rebounds against Golden State on Monday. He’s the third Sun to collect at least 10 double-doubles before his 22nd birthday, joining Alvan Adams (36) and Amare Stoudemire (46).