- The Suns are 15-16 and have the fourth-best record in the Pacific Division.
- Memphis is 22-11 and has the best record in the Southwest Division.
- These teams last played on Jan. 7, with the Grizzlies claiming a 121-115 victory.
One of the games on tap from Tuesday night’s NBA slate features the Phoenix Suns hosting the Memphis Grizzlies. Our Suns vs Grizzlies prediction foresees the Suns winning a close one on the condition that Ja Morant is still out with a shoulder injury.
Suns Hope To Get Back Into The Win Column
After a double-digit win over the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day, the Suns have dropped their last two contests. This includes a 109-105 defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Kevin Durant put together a solid performance with 31 points, six rebounds, four blocks and three assists.
Bradley Beal finished with 28 points and five rebounds, including four 3-pointers. Ryan Dunn added 15 points and four rebounds, while Josh Okogie contributed 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench. The Suns held a four-point advantage going into the final frame. Unfortunately, they were outscored 27-18 over the final 12 minutes. Not only that, but the Suns did not have a field goal over the final 6:48 of that contest.
Memphis Looks To Bounce Back From Blowout Loss To OKC
On the heels of back-to-back wins over the Toronto Raptors (155-126) and New Orleans Pelicans (132-124), the Grizzlies saw their win streak end with a 130-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. Desmond Bane finished with a team-high 22 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.
The short-handed Grizzlies also got key contributions from their second unit. Jay Huff scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. Luke Kennard added 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists and knocked down four of his nine attempts from distance.
Memphis jumped out to a 9-0 lead and trailed 34-31 after the first quarter. Unfortunately, OKC responded with a 42-19 outburst in the second quarter, resulting in a 76-50 advantage at the break. The rest of the game was a mere formality.
Without Ja Morant (shoulder) and Zach Edey (concussion protocol) in the rotation, the Grizzlies had a difficult time scoring, as they shot 38.1 percent overall while converting only 14 of their 51 attempts from the 3-point line (27.5 percent).
Suns vs Grizzlies Prediction: Suns Edge Memphis In A Close One
The Suns have fallen off a cliff since their 12-8 start. They are just 3-8 over their last 11 outings and have dropped five of their previous six games. Considering they are a mediocre squad at both ends of the floor, you never know which version of this group will show up on a given night.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are ranked first in scoring and sixth in offensive efficiency. This ball club also has the fourth-best defensive rating in the association (108.2 Points Per 100 Possessions). Although they laid an egg against the Thunder in their previous outing, the Grizzlies have won seven of their last 10 games. But if Morant can’t go, that will likely tip the scale in favor of the Suns, albeit slightly.
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