Field Level Media
Feb 28, 2018
Phoenix guard Devin Booker scored 34 points and rookie Josh Jackson had a career-high 29 when the Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies 110-102 at the FedExForum on Wednesday, a game matching teams that entered on 10-game losing streaks.
Jackson added seven rebounds and four assists and shot 10 of 13 from the foul line. Elfrid Payton had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who avoided their first winless month in the 50-year history of the franchise, minimum five games played.
Phoenix, which had not won since beating Dallas on Jan. 31, broke an eight-game road losing streak.
Marc Gasol had 22 points and 13 rebounds and Andrew Harrison had 20 points for the Grizzlies, who have not won since beating the Suns at home on Jan. 29. Memphis was 0-10 in February.
Jarell Martin had 16 points and JaMychal Green had 12 points and 12 boards for the Grizzlies, who played with leading scorer Tyreke Evans for the third straight game. Evans is averaging 19.3 points a game.
Phoenix won three of the four in the season series, with this the first road victory.
The Suns led by 14 with 7:28 remaining. Memphis, which shot only 37.9 percent to Phoenix's 45.8 percent, twice got within five but never was closer.
Booker has scored 40, 30, 27, 28 and 34 points and has 17 3-pointers in five games back after missing four with a hip injury. He made one trey Wednesday.
Jackson has 10 20-point games in his past 20 contests after having one in his first 43. His previous career high was 23.
Jackson banked in a running 3-pointer from the top of the key at the halftime buzzer for a 57-54 halftime lead. He had 17 points in the first half.
The Suns led by as many as seven in the third quarter and never trailed in the second half.
Forward TJ Warren, the Suns' second-leading scorer with a 19.5 average, did not play after sustaining a bruised tailbone against New Orleans on Monday. Jackson started in his place.
Suns center Tyson Chandler missed his fifth straight game and seventh in his past eight due to neck spasms.
--Field Level Media