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The Memphis Grizzlies showed they can get physical if they have to.
Pau Gasol had 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high eight blocked shots, and the Grizzlies handed the Phoenix Suns their seventh straight loss, 97-92 Friday night.
``It's always tough inside,'' Gasol said. ``It was a little tougher because (the Suns) really play physical. They really go at you, especially if they get away with things like grabbing and pushing and all that stuff. They are going to keep doing it and making it tougher.''
James Posey had a team-high 18 points for the Grizzlies, who won their third consecutive game and fifth in a row at home. Memphis has 21 wins at home this season, a franchise record.
Memphis' Stromile Swift scored 17 points, and Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells each had 11, but the two starting guards were a combined 10-for-24 from the field.
Joe Johnson's 3-pointer
with 14.4 seconds left cut Memphis' lead to 95-92. But two free throws by Posey
with 9.5 seconds left gave Memphis the final margin.
``They upped their defense down the stretch and got us out of our rhythm,''
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. ``They had the energy and the discipline at the
end.''
Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 23 points, but fouled out with 4:28 remaining. Like others, he was upset by some calls, especially the one that sent him to the bench.
``I was trying to move out of the way, and they still called it'' Stoudemire said. ``I can't even get out of the way.''
The Suns trailed 87-85 when Stoudemire left, and Memphis promptly scored six unanswered points.
Shawn Marion had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix. Johnson finished with 12 points, but hit only four of 15 shots from the field and was 1-of-6 from outside the arc.
The Grizzlies led 56-44 with 1:42 left in the second quarter, but Marion scored seven straight points to cut Memphis' lead to 56-51 at intermission. Marion led the Suns with 13 in the half, while Stoudemire had 11, despite getting in foul trouble.
Swift had 11 in the half for Memphis.
AP - Feb 20, 11:01 pm EST
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One key to the game for Memphis was jumping to an early lead and holding a 36-26
advantage at the end of the first.
``We have a habit of starting late,'' D'Antoni said. ``It was the first quarter that spelled the doom. We have to learn to start tougher, but we don't do that.''
The Suns, took their first lead of the game in the third quarter and the teams were tied at 77 entering the fourth. Memphis held Phoenix to 15 points on 30 percent shooting and caused eight turnovers in the final period.
``We couldn't let them come in here and take one from us,'' Posey said.
Notes
The Grizzlies put G Mike Miller on the injured list earlier in the day because
of the back spasms that have nagged him for weeks. G Troy Bell was activated.
... Wells started in Miller's place. ... With Miller out, the Grizzlies made
only two 3-pointers, matching their season low for a game. ... Suns F Keon Clark,
one of the players picked up in Thursday's trade with the Jazz for Tom Gugliotta,
was not with the team yet. The other player, Ben Handlogten, was waived by the
Suns Friday. ... The Grizzlies 36 first-quarter points was two short of their
season record for points in a quarter. ... Swift has scored in double figures
in four of his last five games. ... Antonio McDyess saw his first action since
being put on the injured list Jan. 19 from left knee tendinitis. He played 10
minutes, did not score and grabbed four rebounds. ... Gasol's previous career-high
for blocks was seven against theSuns last season.