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Randolph guides Grizzlies past Suns

Jan 7, 2013 - 6:42 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Zach Randolph had 21 points and eight rebounds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies past the Phoenix Suns, 92-81, at US Airways Center.

Rudy Gay followed with 20 points and Marc Gasol filled the stat sheet with 10 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three blocks for the Grizzlies, who have won three of their last five.

"It was a good game for us, from both ends," Randolph remarked. "We played defense and we got off to a good start and we came out in the second half and we didn't drop down or let them play up."

P.J. Tucker finished with 17 points and five rebounds for Phoenix, which has dropped two straight and eight of nine overall.

Marcin Gortat was the only other member of the Suns to score in double digits with 12 points.

"We really could never get anything going," Suns coach Alvin Gentry admitted. "We got bogged down offensively and struggled to make shots."

Memphis scored the first six points of the first quarter and never trailed throughout the remainder of the game.

Phoenix battled back to tie the game at 8-8 before the Grizzlies responded with an 8-2 push to go back on top by six points and they carried a 21-16 edge into the second quarter.

The Suns managed to cut their deficit to one early in the second before a Marreese Speights jumper sparked a streak of six straight points by Memphis, handing the Grizzlies a 31-24 lead with 7 1/2 minutes left in the half.

Memphis later stretched its lead up to 37-28 on a Gay layup, but Phoenix closed out the second quarter with a 10-4 run to get within 41-38 at the break.

After Gay and Gortat traded baskets to start the third quarter, Memphis reeled off an 8-2 spurt to take a 51-42 advantage.

Tucker put an end to the run with a 3-pointer at the other end, but the Suns would get no closer and Memphis scored 12 of the next 18 points to jump out to a double-digit lead, 63-51.

The Grizzlies held a 71-62 lead entering the fourth quarter, which Markieff Morris opened with a three-point play to cut Phoenix's deficit to six points before a 10-3 run by Memphis put them on top, 81-68, with less than five minutes to play.

The Suns got no closer than eight for the remainder of the game.

Game Notes

Memphis now leads the season series between the teams, 3-2 ... The Grizzlies had lost 11 of their last 13 trips to Phoenix ... Phoenix shot just 39.2 percent from the field, while Memphis connected on 53.6 percent of its shots ... The Grizzlies turned the ball over 20 times, resulting in 15 Phoenix points ... Memphis scored 18 points off 14 turnovers by the Suns.