The Phoenix Suns suddenly are pushing for the playoffs — or, at least, the play-in tournament.
When the Suns visit Memphis on Monday night, they’ll be coming in on an early March roll. The Suns won for the third time in five games Sunday, 125-116 over the Dallas Mavericks.
Phoenix closed to 1 1/2 games behind 10th-place Dallas in the Western Conference. The Mavericks have faded following a season-ending knee injury to Kyrie Irving, having lost five straight. Finishing 10th would earn the Suns the final play-in spot in the conference.
In Sunday’s victory, the Suns posted playoff-bound numbers. Phoenix shot 58.3 percent from the field and outrebounded the Mavericks 46-32. Devin Booker scored 24 points and Kevin Durant added 21 to go with nine rebounds and eight assists for the winners.
Booker said there’s not much time left for the Suns to recover and secure a playoff spot.
“We put ourselves in this situation, so we have to deal with it, and everyone in the locker room understands that,” Booker said.
The Suns are trying to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
Phoenix will play the third contest of a four-game road trip and will be back in Memphis, where the Suns dropped a 151-148 overtime game on Feb. 25.
For the Grizzlies, coach Taylor Jenkins has been encouraged his team has won back-to-back games on the road following a four-game home losing streak. But for the success to continue, the team must solve its shooting woes from beyond the arc.
Memphis was 13 of 49 from deep Sunday in a 107-104 win over New Orleans.
Two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant, who recently returned from a shoulder injury, also has struggled from 3-point range. He has made just 10 of 60 attempts over his last nine games.
“It’s difficult right now,” Jenkins said. “We’re not knocking down shots like we need to. It’s (created) a lot of pressure.”
As long as the Grizzlies continue getting clutch performances from Morant and his backcourt mate star, Desmond Bane, they’ll have an opportunity to overcome off shooting nights. Morant and Bane took over in the team’s victories Friday in Dallas and Sunday in New Orleans.
On Friday, Morant scored seven of his game-high 31 points in the final 1:35 to help the Grizzlies finish strong in a 122-111 victory. They closed the game on a 14-3 run. Bane contributed 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.
In Sunday’s win, Bane flirted with a triple-double. He had 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Morant added 32 points and six assists. The 32 points tied a season high. In the wins over Dallas and New Orleans, Morant had 11-point fourth quarters.
Morant and Bane have taken over games in the fourth period, helping the Grizzlies offset the absence of All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who is recovering from an ankle injury. Morant has been particularly impressed with Bane’s clutch play.
“I know the work he puts in,” Morant said. “I know the talks we have with each other. He’s built for it, and he’s been showing it night in and night out.”
–Field Level Media
