The Suns run continued in the third quarter

PHOENIX - The Memphis Grizzlies are back in the playoffs and the upstart Phoenix Suns are staying home. Brent Suter Brewers Jersey . Mike Conley and Zach Randolph made the critical plays in the final 68 seconds and the Grizzlies pulled out a 97-91 victory over Phoenix that clinched the last playoff spot in the West and eliminated the Suns from post-season competition. Randolph scored 32 points to lead the inside power game that was just enough for Memphis to beat the Suns for the fourth time in four games this season. There were 15 lead changes in an intense fourth quarter, with Memphis scoring the final seven after Phoenix took a 91-90 lead on Miles Plumlees tip-in with 1:27 to play. Conley, taking a pass from Randolph, followed with a 3-pointer that put the Grizzlies up 93-91 with 1:08 to go. It was the first go-ahead 3 of Conleys career with two minutes or less remaining in a game. Dragic threw the ball away on Phoenixs next possession and Randolph scored the final two of his 32 points to give Memphis a 95-91 cushion with 47.4 seconds to go. "Its stressful, being in a game that both teams are going back and forth," Conley said. "Every time we made a play, they made a play. Give them credit, they played their hearts out. We were just able to make enough plays down the stretch." Memphis weathered 19 turnovers to win its fourth straight, a streak that began with a win over Miami. "Weve needed every game basically since February it seems like," Conley said. "Weve played every game like a playoff game. Its been fun to be part of a group that comes in and stays focused and to get back in the playoffs. Its huge from where we started off this season." The Grizzlies were 10-15 after a loss to Dallas on Dec. 18. "This is a culmination of not just this week or not just March or April, this is a culmination of everything weve been through since December," first-year Memphis coach David Joerger said. "For these guys, its a happy locker room, a relieved locker room and just a bunch of very proud guys with great chemistry." Mike Miller added 21 points, Marc Gasol 17 and Conley 13 for the Grizzlies, in the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Markieff Morris had 21 points, and Channing Frye scored 14. So did Dragic, playing on a sore ankle. The Grizzlies can move ahead of Dallas for the No. 7 spot with a victory at home over the Mavericks in their regular-season finale Wednesday night. The Suns lost their third straight to come up just short of the playoffs in a remarkable turnaround season under first-year coach Jeff Hornacek, winning 22 more games than a year ago, with one to play, after going 25-57 in 2013. "Its really tough to say something positive right now," Dragic said. "Nobody expected us to play so good. We built some good chemistry with this team. A lot of new faces, a lot of young guys, new coaching staff, new GM, so I think were headed in the right direction. "When you are so close to the playoffs, you always want some little bit more." Phoenix is only the fifth team in NBA history to win 47 games and not make the playoffs. "These are the hardest games to win," Hornacek said, recalling his days as a player. "You have to do everything right. You cant have bad stretches." The last of Millers five 3-pointers — in six attempts — put the Grizzlies 86-85 with 3:10 to go. Miles Plumlee made a 16-footer and Phoenix led 87-86, then Gasol scored on a driving layup and Memphis was on top 88-87 with 2:23 left. Bledsoes 15-footer gave the lead back to Phoenix, then Conley sank a 20-footer, a hint of what was about to come, to make it 90-89 Memphis. Then came Plumlees tip-in and Phoenixs final lead. An early 15-4 run put the Grizzlies up 22-11 and it was 24-14 at the end of the first quarter. Memphis took its biggest lead, 44-31, when Randolph converted a three-point play with 2:54 to play in the second quarter. But the Grizzlies didnt score again in the half. Bledsoe ended the Suns string of eight straight missed 3-pointers and Phoenix scored the final nine points of the half to cut it to 46-42 at the beak. It could have been closer. Bledsoe missed a free throw what could have been a 3-point play and, after a Memphis turnover, P.J. Tucker took an off-balance shot before the halftime buzzer when Bledsoe was wide open for a layup. The Suns run continued in the third quarter, when Phoenix outscored Memphis 11-4 to start the period and took a 53-50 lead on Channing Fryes 16-foooter. Nobody led by more than six points the rest of the quarter, with Tony Allen going coast-to-coast in the final seconds for a layup that tied it at 67 entering the fourth. NOTES: The Suns havent made the playoffs since 2010. ... The Suns conclude their season at Sacramento on Wednesday night. ... Of Memphis potential first-round foes, the Grizzles were 0-4 this season against San Antonio, 1-2 against Oklahoma City. Bobby Wahl Brewers Jersey . HEROES Alex Ovechkin – Scored a pair of goals in Washington’s 4-0 win over Pittsburgh. With 13 goals in the past 13 games, Ovechkin now has 29 goals on the season to lead the league. David Freitas Brewers Jersey . Bayern winger Franck Ribery marked his league return after recovering from a cracked rib by scoring two goals and setting up two more as the league leaders inflicted the heaviest home defeat on Bremen in the Bundesliga. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/329y-drew-pomeranz-jersey-brewers.html . -- Steven Stamkos scored his first goal since returning from a major injury, Ryan Callahan had his first goal with Tampa Bay, and the Lightning beat the Florida Panthers 5-4 on Thursday night. LONDON -- For 2 1/2 hours, Venus Williams traded big serves and hard groundstrokes with Petra Kvitova on Centre Court. Williams was playing with some of the power and pace that had brought her five Wimbledon titles. But when it was over, she was left with a sense of disappointment. "The battle is always a little more enjoyable when you win," Williams said Friday after coming within two points of victory but losing 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-5 to Kvitova, the 2011 champion. All four of their previous meetings went to three sets and this one was no different, with plenty of suspense, intensity, and only a few break points. Williams looked stronger early in the match and was up 5-4, 15-30 on Kvitovas serve, in the second set. But the Czech came up with some big serves, held and won the second set tiebreaker. The players then held serve for the first 11 games of the third set before Kvitova broke No. 30 Williams for the first time in the last game. "Its a shame there had to be a loser in this match and more of a shame that it had to be me," Williams said. Despite the loss, Williams had reasons to feel positive about her week in London. At the age of 34, she has been playing well this season, winning a title in Dubai and reachiing the final in Auckland and Miami. Jordan Lyles Brewers Jersey. This week, she got to the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for only the second time in her past 10 appearances. After her battle with Kvitova, she reiterated that retirement is not in her plans. More than that, Williams still believes in her ability to add to her total of seven Grand Slams. "People have been trying to retire me since I was like 25. For some reason in tennis we always do that to our players. Its weird," said Williams, who disclosed three years ago that she was diagnosed with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease. "We dont encourage them to stick around," she added. "Its like, Get out of here. So Im not getting out of here. I think this year has been a great year for me. Ive had some tough losses, but Ive learned a lot from them. Im finding my way back on my feet. Im proud of myself for what Im achieving on the court." The former No. 1 is next scheduled to play in Cincinnati and Montreal. She said she might add more tournaments to her summer schedule to keep improving her game. "So that way Ill just have a chance, when its really time to play good tennis, I would have had those matches under my belt," she said. ' ' '