"The Grizzlies have gone from a team that pulverized opponents at the start with a potent offense to a bunch that is struggling to duplicate that early-game success and finish games.

Unfortunately for the Griz, their best basketball seems to now come in the middle of games. But that's not good enough.

After digging an early 16-point hole, the Griz battled back Saturday night to tie the score in the final 30 seconds but couldn't overtake the Suns on the final possession, losing 86-84 in US Airways Center.

"Obviously, we had our chances," Griz guard Tony Allen said. "But there's no such thing as moral victories. We just have to figure out how to get it done down the stretch. It could have gone either way on this trip. It didn't go our way."

Memphis, loser of three straight, ended a four-game trip with a 1-3 record. The Griz had a chance to earn an even split with the ball and 3.3 seconds left.

But they couldn't find a shot on a play designed to score on a backdoor cut toward the basket. Point guard Mike Conley ended up attempting a 3-pointer a few feet beyond the arc, and it fell short at the buzzer."