LOS ANGELES, 21 January 2005 — The Memphis Grizzlies are sizzling and the Phoenix Suns are fizzling.
Bonzi Wells scored 16 points, while Shane Battier had seven of his nine points in the fourth quarter to go along with a season-high- tying 14 rebounds, helping the surging Grizzlies set the struggling Suns, 88-79 on Wednesday night for their 10th win in the last 11 games.
“We came out and played an excellent defensive game,” Wells said. “I know they were short-handed without Steve Nash but still the pressure we put on them was great. We executed the way coach (Mike) Fratello wanted us to do. It was a great team victory.”
After running to a red-hot 31-4 start, the icy-cold shooting Suns (33 per cent) suffered their season-high fifth consecutive loss as league assist leader Nash missed his fourth straight game with an injury. As a result, San Antonio (32-9) jumped past Phoenix (32-8) for the NBA’s best record.
“Steve Nash is one of the Most Valuable Player candidates this year,” Wells said. “He gets shots for those guys who can’t get their own. That’s what I think they missed tonight. Still, when the smoke clears I think they’ll be there.”
Stromile Swift scored 14 points and fellow-reserve Brian Cardinal added 13 as Memphis’ bench outscored the Phoenix substitutes, 56-13. Spain’s Pau Gasol finished with just five points, snapping a 103-game streak of scoring in double figures.
Memphis built a 65-58 edge and put the game out of reach when Battier scored five straight points to extend the margin to 81-70 with 4:41 left. The Suns scored the next five points but couldn’t get any closer, thereafter.
Quentin Richardon had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Shawn Marion added 18 points for the Phoenix, which had its 10-game home-winning streak halted.
Spurs 80 Clippers 79: Frenchman Tony Parker scored 25 points, including a driving layup with 7.8 seconds remaining, lifting the Spurs to 21-1 at home. Chris Kaman led the Clippers with 21 points and 14 rebounds.
Cavaliers 107 Blazers 101: LeBron James had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to become the youngest player in league history to record a triple-double at 20 years, and 20 days. Nick Van Exel led Portland with 28 points.
Boston 92, Chicago 83: Paul Pierce had 28 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Celtics snap the Bulls seven-game winning streak. Eddy Curry paced Chicago (17-19) with 26 points.
Miami 111 Atlanta 92: Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade scored 25 points apiece as the host Heat handed the Hawks their 14th loss in the last 17 games.
Wade had been sidelined the last two games with sore ribs and back spasm, but the Heat’s leading scorer returned to help Miami improve its Eastern Conference best mark to 29-12.
Philadelphia 107 Charlotte 105: Allen Iverson scored 24 points, and Corliss Williamson added eight of his 14 in the final quarter, helping the visiting 76ers hand the Bobcats their 12th loss in the last 13 games.
Charlotte’s Emeka Okafor had 18 and 19 rebounds.
Raptors 98 Knicks 81: Jalen Rose scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, sparking the Raptors to their third straight victory.
Nazr Mohammed had 16 points and 17 rebounds as New York was outscored 38-20 in the final quarter to fall for the eighth time in the last nine games.
Nets 96 Bucks 90: Vince Carter had a season-high 33 points, to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists, leading the Nets past the visiting Bucks.
Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 30 points.
Hornets 90 Pacers 87: Lee Nailon scored 30 points and Dan Dickau added 17, including the tie-breaking free throw with 5.2 seconds left, helping the Hornets improve to 6-32 on the season.
Jamaal Tinsley led Indiana with 18 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, while Jermaine O’Neal finished with 24 and 11 rebounds.
Lakers 93 Timberwolves 90: Chucky Atkins had 25 points and 11 assists, and Caron Butler hit the go-ahead driving layup with 35 seconds left, giving the Lakers their second win in three games without injured leader Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett scored 27 points as Minnesota suffered its ninth loss in the last 12 games.
