PHOENIX — Memphis center Marc Gasol scored 15 points, collected eight assists and blocked a shot by Phoenix forward Markieff Morris in the final seconds as the Grizzlies beat the Suns for the seventh straight time, 102-101, Monday night.
Down 101-94 after a 3-pointer by Phoenix’s Isaiah Thomas with 1:49 left, the Grizzlies dug in, scored the final eight points of the game to notch their seventh straight win overall. Forward Jeff Green had the big 3-point play with 4.5 seconds left, turning Memphis’ 16th offensive rebound of the night into a five-footer as he was fouled by Eric Bledsoe. Green added the free throw for the winning point.
The Grizzlies had 22 second-chance points in the game, and the last three won it.
Guard Mike Conley had 23 points for the Grizzlies (36-12), who are 11-1 since a double-overtime win over Phoenix on Jan. 11 in Memphis
Guard Isaiah Thomas scored all 24 of his points in the second half and 16 in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who used a 17-4 run to turn an 87-81 deficit into a 98-91 lead on two Bledsoe free throws with 3:31 to go.
Zach Randolph overcame a 1-for-6 first half to score 19 points and add nine rebounds. Green finished with 12.
Bledsoe scored 21 points and Goran Dragic added 15 as the Suns (28-23) scored 27 fastbreak points and used their three-guard lineup to pester the bigger Grizzlies.
The Suns had 18 of their 23 first-quarter points in the paint and held Randolph to 1-for-5 shooting, but Memphis led 25-23 thanks to eight points from Conley and six from Gasol.
The Grizzlies closed the quarter on a 9-2 run and started the second period with eight straight points over the first three minutes against the Phoenix bench. Tony Allen’s layin made it 33-23 with 9:09 left.
Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek went back to his starters quickly and they responded with nine straight points — five by Dragic and four by Morris — to wipe out the Memphis lead. The Grizzlies responded and Conley’s 22-footer with one second left gave his team a 49-44 lead at the half.
Randolph had two points at the half and the Grizzlies missed 29 of 50 field goals, but still led thanks to a 21-6 scoring advantage from the bench.
Dragic (13), Bledsoe (12) and Morris (10) had 35 of Phoenix’s 44 first-half points.
The Suns pulled even at 57 on two free throws from forward P.J. Tucker with 7:21 left in the third, but promptly missed their next 10 shots from the field while Memphis scored 10 straight points — six from the free-throw line — to restore the lead to 69-59 with 3:34 left before the Suns chipped away and eventually pulled in front.
Phoenix cut the lead to 77-72 after three periods and then Thomas — on his bobblehead night — took over. He had 11 of his team’s first 15 points, including seven straight to pull Phoenix within a point. The Suns took their first lead at 90-89 on a Bledsoe layin with 5:41 left.
NOTES: Memphis allowed 69 points to Denver and 74 points to Oklahoma City in their last two games, both wins. They are the first team to allow 75 points or fewer in consecutive games since the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 27-29, 2013. … The Suns won 10 games in January (10-5), their first 10-win month since going 11-5 in January 2008. … Memphis F Zach Randolph was the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week, putting up 20.5 points, 13.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in leading the Grizzlies to four wins. … Memphis G Mike Conley had averaged 20.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in the last six games against Phoenix, all wins. … Memphis C Marc Gasol and his brother, Pau of the Chicago Bulls, will become the first brothers to play in the same All-Star Game since former Suns Dick and Tom Van Arsdale did it in 1970 and 1971.