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Game Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (20-10) at Phoenix Suns (12-22), 6PM AZ Time

For the second straight game, the Phoenix Suns host the rubber match against a tough opponent. The Grizzlies come into the game with one of the best records in the league, but are only 1-1 against the Suns this season.

By Dave King
USA TODAY Sports

The first two games of this season series are ones to remember, as most games against the Memphis Grizzlies tend to be. Recall a few years ago when Jason Richardson made a layup/dunk with no time left on the clock to force overtime after Rudy Gay had made a tough 3 to take the lead?

Earlier this season, the Suns had a big lead in Memphis only to succumb to Zach Randolph's best game of the season and fall eventually in overtime after Jermaine O'Neal missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer.

Then the Suns beat the Grizzlies on a "Dragic" - a twisting, stop-and-go layup by Goran Dragic amongst three Grizzlies with 0.5 seconds left on the clock after Rudy Gay had hit a huge game-tying jumper on the other end with P.J. Tucker's hand in his face.

What will happen tonight?

If Friday is any indication, the Suns home success against tough opponents will be sorely tested. There's only so many times you can go to the well.

But then again, the Suns seem to match up well against the Grizzlies, who only boast one offensively-dangerous wing player and whose front line, while immensely talented, can't jump any higher than the Suns' duo of Luis Scola and Marcin Gortat.

Last time, the Suns stopped a 7-game losing streak at the expense of the mighty Grizz, a win that started a 4-game winning streak. Tonight, the Suns come in having lost 7 of their last 8.

Quick notes on Suns players

  • Jared Dudley has scored 15+ points in 9 of last 13 games
  • Luis Scola has scored 15+ points in 4 consecutive games
  • Marcin Gortat leads Suns with 12 double-doubles in 34 games
  • Marcin Gortat has played in every single game since joining the Suns in December 2010, starting the last 111 consecutive games
  • Shannon Brown is averaging a career-high in scoring (12.4) for the fourth straight season
  • Goran Dragic leads the team in scoring, assists, steals and free throw attempts (4.1 per game)

Quick notes on tonight's matchup

  • Each team has won on their home floor this year
  • Suns are 28-6 all-time at home against the Grizzlies
  • Suns have yet another chance at franchise win #2,000 tonight

After this, the Suns embark on a 4-game road trip where they are 2-14 on the season.

Grizzlies stats

FG 3PT FT Rebounds Misc
G M M A Pct M A Pct M A Pct Off Def Tot Ast TO Stl Blk PF PPG
Rudy Gay 29 36.4 6.9 16.8 40.9 1.1 3.3 32.6 3.2 4.1 79.7 1.3 4.6 5.9 2.6 2.4 1.5 0.8 2.3 18.0
Zach Randolph 29 35.3 6.8 13.9 49.1 0.0 0.3 12.5 3.0 3.9 76.1 4.6 7.7 12.3 1.3 2.2 0.8 0.6 2.2 16.7
Marc Gasol 30 35.2 5.1 10.6 48.4 0.0 0.2 0.0 3.6 4.1 87.8 2.4 5.0 7.4 3.8 1.8 1.1 1.9 3.1 13.9
Mike Conley 29 34.3 4.6 10.9 42.0 1.4 3.6 39.0 2.7 3.2 83.0 0.7 2.2 2.8 6.3 2.7 2.4 0.2 2.0 13.3
Tony Allen 27 25.8 3.1 7.6 41.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.4 1.9 73.1 1.0 2.6 3.5 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.5 2.5 7.6
Marreese Speights 30 14.9 2.7 6.2 43.9 0.1 0.1 50.0 1.4 1.9 73.2 2.1 2.9 5.1 0.4 0.9 0.2 0.8 2.1 6.9
Quincy Pondexter 27 23.1 2.3 5.4 41.8 1.2 2.9 42.3 0.9 1.2 75.8 0.8 1.5 2.3 1.3 0.9 0.7 0.1 1.8 6.7
Darrell Arthur 18 15.7 2.7 5.8 46.7 0.1 0.4 28.6 0.4 0.5 88.9 0.9 1.6 2.6 0.6 0.9 0.4 0.6 2.1 6.0
Jerryd Bayless 30 16.4 2.0 5.1 38.3 0.5 1.6 30.6 0.7 0.9 80.8 0.1 1.5 1.7 3.1 1.5 0.7 0.3 1.9 5.1
Wayne Ellington 30 16.5 1.9 4.8 38.9 0.9 2.3 40.0 0.4 0.4 91.7 0.1 1.1 1.2 1.1 0.5 0.4 0.0 1.0 5.0
Hamed Haddadi 7 5.4 0.7 1.4 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 1.0 1.9 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.1 1.0 1.4
Josh Selby 6 4.8 0.2 1.5 11.1 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.7 75.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.8 0.2 0.0 0.8 0.8
Tony Wroten 4 2.5 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0


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