Randolph Scores Big in Grizzlies’ OT Win over Suns

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Zach Randolph scored a season high 38 points and 22 rebounds to help the Memphis Grizzlies register a 109-98 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Quincy Pondexter was the other prominent performer for the Grizzlies with 16 points, whereas Rudy Gay and center Marc Gasol added 14 points apiece.

Randolph shot very well from the field making 15 of 22 attempts. He played a decisive role in the later stages of the game, particularly in the fourth quarter and in OT. Two out of his total three blocks came in OT as the Grizzlies outscored the Suns 14-4.

"I saw the Zach from two years ago," the Associated Press quoted guard Mike Conley as saying. "The one where everybody is chanting: 'Z-Bo.'

"That's what we like to see. We don't want him to have to go for 40, or whatever he went for, every night, but we'll take it whenever he wants to give it to us."

Randolph, who could not meet expectations last year because of a knee injury, accepted his performance on Tuesday night was his best since the 2011 playoffs.

"It felt good. I know I could play this way," Randolph said. "I felt like my old self. I've been doing some stuff on the offensive end.

"Making shots, hitting my little jump shot, my step back, my rip through. . I felt like my old self."

For Suns, Goran Dragic added 19 points and seven assists, Luis Scola chipped in with 16 and eight rebounds, Jared Dudley had 13 points and Jermaine O'Neal finished with 12 points. O'Neal also had six out of 10 attempts from the field.

"We played good for three quarters," said Marcin Gortat, who had 11 points. "Quite honestly, something just suddenly turned off. Someone turned off the switch, and we just stopped playing. That's it."

"We had a chance to win the game, but in overtime they just took over," Dudley added. "It was the Z-Bo show."

In overtime, Randolph netted three straight buckets to lead his side to what turned out to be a convincing victory in the end.

"If you go back and look, he has always been 20-10 since he walked into the league," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said of Randolph. "He is just a determined guy. He came up with a couple of really big rebounds (in overtime). He just worked himself to get them."

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