Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 38 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Desmond Bane added 31 points to help the Memphis Grizzlies secure a 117-112 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Luke Kennard chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and John Konchar contributed 12 rebounds and seven points. The Grizzlies built a 14-point lead by halftime and managed to hold off the Suns, who cut the lead to just one point in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Durant led Phoenix with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but the Suns lost Bradley Beal to a hip contusion after the first quarter. Beal got hurt when he was fouled by Jackson with 4:40 left in the first quarter. He played through the rest of the period but was later ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Tyus Jones scored 21 points for Phoenix, while Mason Plumlee and Monte Morris both finished with 12 points. Devin Booker, in his return after missing five games due to a groin injury, struggled with his shot, scoring 16 points on 4-of-20 shooting.
Jackson had a strong start, scoring 14 of Memphis’s first 20 points. He finished the first quarter with 19 points, and the Grizzlies led 36-26 after the first 12 minutes.
Phoenix came out strong in the second quarter, scoring the first seven points while Jackson rested, but Bane helped shift the momentum back in Memphis’s favor by scoring 13 points in the second quarter. The Grizzlies ended the half on a 19-10 run to lead 69-55 at halftime.
The Suns fought back in the third, with Plumlee scoring four dunks to help Phoenix cut the lead to 74-71. Bane added nine more points in the third, and Memphis led 91-86 going into the final quarter.
Durant’s dunk made it a 96-95 game, but that was as close as the Suns would get. Bane and Jackson each hit a three-pointer on consecutive possessions, extending the Grizzlies’ lead to 102-97 with 5:55 left.
Booker’s three-pointer pulled Phoenix to within 108-106 with 1:51 remaining, but the Grizzlies responded with the next six points to secure the win.
