PHOENIX — Jaren Jackson Jr. delivered an impressive performance, scoring 38 points to propel the Memphis Grizzlies to a 117-112 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday evening.
Alongside him, Desmond Bane contributed 31 points, helping the Grizzlies secure a lead they maintained from start to finish, despite being without key players Ja Morant (recovering from a right shoulder strain) and Zach Edey (in concussion protocol). Additionally, Luke Kennard added 17 points off the bench and John Konchar had a stellar game on the boards, recording a game-high 12 rebounds, as Memphis improved to a record of 23-11, placing them second in the Western Conference.
For the Suns, Devin Booker made his return after missing the previous five games due to a left groin strain, finishing with 16 points and nine assists. Kevin Durant was the game’s top scorer for Phoenix, notching 29 points along with 10 rebounds. However, the Suns faced their sixth loss in the last seven games, missing Jusuf Nurkic, who is serving the second game of a three-game suspension following an altercation with the Dallas Mavericks. Compounding their struggles, Bradley Beal exited the contest early due to a left hip contusion.
The game was physically intense, with officials calling a total of 54 fouls and awarding 58 free throws. Jackson Jr. completed 10 of his 17 attempts from the line, while also securing 10 rebounds.
Booker’s last appearance was on December 19 in a defeat against Indiana, where the Suns went 1-4 in the five games he missed. He entered the matchup against Memphis averaging 25.1 points and 6.4 assists per game, and although he started off slow, he found his rhythm by scoring the first five points of the second quarter.
In a pivotal moment late in the game, Konchar delivered a three-point play with just 1:05 remaining, extending Memphis’s lead to 113-106 after the Suns had narrowed the gap to one point.
In an intriguing statistic, at one point in the first quarter, Jackson was outscoring the entire Suns team 19-18, highlighting his impact on the game.
Looking ahead, the Suns are set to face the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, while the Grizzlies will travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings on Friday.
