Suns nail 22 3-pointers to beat Grizzlies, end series skid

Dillon Brooks scored 21 points and Grayson Allen added 19 as the visiting Phoenix Suns snapped a six-game losing streak to the Memphis Grizzlies with a 117-98 victory Wednesday night.

The Suns, who won for the seventh time in nine games, made 22 3-pointers, including five each from Brooks and Allen.

Brooks, who spent his first six seasons in the NBA with the Grizzlies, had 18 points in the first half. Allen, who spent two seasons with the Grizzlies, was playing in his second game after returning from a nine-game absence because of a knee injury.

Devin Booker contributed 13 points and eight assists for the Suns and Mark Williams finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Grizzlies, playing the second game of a back-to-back, lost for the fifth time in six games. Memphis swept the series (4-0) last season and won the only meeting between the two early this season in Phoenix.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 19 points and Cam Spencer, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Javon Small scored 14 each. Small added seven assists.

Memphis was playing its third straight game without guard Ja Morant, who has an injured right calf. Rookie starter Cedric Coward missed his second straight game with a left ankle sprain.

The Suns nearly led wire-to-wire. After Brooks connected on a 12-footer for a 10-8 lead early in the first quarter, Phoenix never trailed again.

Ahead 65-47 at the half, the Suns pushed ahead by 24 points late in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Allen. In the fourth quarter, Phoenix stretched his lead to 26 points (94-68) on a 3-pointer from Collin Gillespie.

The Suns pulled away in the second quarter and led by 18 at the half following a 10-2 closing run. Brooks and Booker scored the final 12 points of the half, including a shot at the buzzer by Booker.