NBA: Duane Washington Jr. helps Suns spoil Grizzlies’ home winning streak
FILE–Duane Washington Jr. #4 of the Phoenix Suns. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Duane Washington Jr. scored a career-high 26 points as the visiting Phoenix Suns rolled to a 125-108 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
The victory snapped the Grizzlies’ seven-game home winning streak and exacted a little revenge from a 25-point blowout loss to Memphis on Friday.
Washington came off the bench and sunk 10 of 21 shots to go along with eight assists. Chris Paul, who was 4-for-5 from beyond the 3-point line, had 14 points and six assists and was one of eight Phoenix players to score in double figures.
Jock Landale (16 points), Deandre Ayton (15 points, 10 rebounds), Mikal Bridges (10 points) and Torrey Craig (10 points) joined Paul as the other starters to score in double digits. Reserves Josh Okogie and Damion Lee were also productive, scoring 12 points apiece.
"I felt good waking up this morning."
How 'bout the career-best night for Duane Washington Jr. 👏#WeAreTheValley | @SweetJames pic.twitter.com/c5vJM2apYr
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) December 28, 2022
Phoenix shot 50 percent (43 of 86), including 54.8 percent (17 of 31) from behind the arc. The Suns were 22-for-25 from the free-throw line.
Ja Morant led Memphis with 34 points and six assists. Desmond Bane added 14 points for the Grizzlies, who shot 39.6 percent (36 of 91).
Steven Adams added six points and 10 boards. Brandon Clark had eight points, eight rebounds and three assists off the bench.
Memphis pulled to within six points, 80-74, with 3:58 left in the third quarter, but Phoenix closed the quarter on a 17-6 run. The Grizzlies never seriously challenged the Suns in the final frame.
Phoenix jumped out to a 23-22 first-quarter lead behind seven points from Bridges and five from Landale.
Two free throws by Morant — due to a flagrant foul — and a floating Dillon Brooks jump shot trimmed Phoenix’s lead to 35-33 with 6:32 to go in the second quarter. But a 16-5 run put the Suns up 51-38 with less than four minutes to go in the half.
Landale’s two free throws closed the first-half scoring and put Phoenix up 65-49.
