RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- The Vancouver Grizzlies hope
to build on an emotional win.
| | Jason Kidd, right, had a season-high 34 points but missed a 3-pointer that would have sent the game to a third OT. |
Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 33 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as
the Vancouver Grizzlies outlasted the Phoenix Suns 109-106 in
double overtime on Wednesday.
"It was a lot of fun," Abdur-Rahim said. "I'm just happy we pulled it out. Even if guys don't understand it, we came together a lot tonight. We dug in and we showed a whole lot of character and a lot of heart. Hopefully we can keep it going in that direction and
not go backwards."
Jason Kidd had a season-high 34 points but missed a 3-pointer
that would have sent the game to a third overtime. Shawn Marion
scored 14 points and tied his season-high with 19 rebounds.
Grant Long had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Grizzlies,
while Othella Harrington had 16 points and a season-high 14
rebounds.
The Grizzlies had lost eight of nine since starting the season 4-1.
"If we can build from here, then this game is good," Long
said. "But if we go out and flop on our face the next game, then
this game doesn't mean anything."
Long was helped off the bench by the play of guard Damon Jones,
who had 14 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 43.4 seconds
left in the second overtime. The Grizzlies bench outscored the
Phoenix bench 41-23.
"They really did a lot of things that helped us win the game,"
Abdur-Rahim said. "You can't say enough about our guys, how hard
everybody played and how bad we wanted to win the game."
Phoenix scored the first four points in the second overtime
before a free throw by Abdur-Rahim on an illegal defense call with
3:57 remaining pulled the Grizzlies to 105-102.
Vancouver then forced Phoenix into a shot-clock violation, but couldn't capitalize at the other end.
Tom Gugliotta made one of two free throws with 1:55 left to
restore the Suns' four-point lead. But Abdur-Rahim posted up on
Jason Kidd and scored to pull the Grizzlies within two with 1:37
left. Jones' 3-pointer gave Vancouver a 107-106 lead and Long added
two free throws.
"The shot-clock was running down and Doug West got the ball in
my hands," Jones said. "I shot the ball with confidence.
Fortunately enough for me it went in."
Vancouver had a six-point lead with 42 seconds left in the first
overtime but couldn't hold on.
Kidd hit a layup with 36 seconds left, and after Jones hit one
free throw for the Grizzlies, Kidd drew a foul and made both shots
to bring Phoenix within three with 31 seconds remaining.
Abdur-Rahim hit a free-throw to make it a four-point game, but
Kidd came right down and hit a 3-pointer to make it 100-99 with
22.6 seconds left.
After Long made one foul shot, Paul McPherson tipped in a miss
by Kidd with 1.8 seconds left to tie the game.
Marion's 3-pointer with 21.4 seconds left in regulation tied the
game. The Grizzlies had no timeouts remaining and Jones missed a
driving layup. The clock ran out while the teams were scrambling
for the ball.
"The small things hurt us tonight," Kidd said. "And in the
game of basketball, that's what's going to come back to haunt
you."
Kidd had 14 points in the first quarter, including the Suns' first nine points as the Suns took a 29-19 lead.
It grew to 14 in the second quarter, before Vancouver went on a
15-2 run to tie the game at 44.
Game notes Suns guard Mario Elie, who started every game this season,
didn't play against Vancouver because of a foot infection. ... This
was the start of a four-game homestand for the Grizzlies. Phoenix
will finish a three-game road trip Friday at Sacramento.
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NBA Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Vancouver Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 93 Washington 87
Charlotte 103 Toronto 79
Detroit 97 New Jersey 76
Utah 88 Orlando 86
Denver 107 Minnesota 100
Miami 84 New York 81
San Antonio 82 Sacramento 79
Vancouver 109 Phoenix 106
LA Clippers 106 Golden State 83
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