Dario Saric steps up big, helping to boost Phoenix Suns to third straight win

The Suns have risen from their lowest point this season in the Western conference standings at 12th to seventh within a week after they edged the second-place Memphis Grizzlies, 112-110, on Sunday. Among the key backup contributors was Dario Saric.

Phoenix’s backup big, who's started in 11 games this season (averaging 5.2 points, 3.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game), had one of his best performances, getting 14 points (4-of-5 shooting), team-high eight rebounds, four assists, three steals in 20 minutes).

Saric is gaining more playing time lately, after not seeing much early in the season. But the Suns have dealt with a string of injuries to key players, especially over the past month, and that has created more opportunity for Saric.

“Man, Dario is special," point guard Chris Paul after the game. "I actually went into the gym (Sunday) morning around 9:30-10 just to check out everything to make sure I was good to play. When I walked in the gym, Dario was in there sweating getting shots up."

Paul (heel, hip) was among those nursing recent injuries. He returned Sunday. Other have included Devin Booker (groin), Cameron Payne (foot), Landry Shamet (concussion, hip), Cameron Johnson (knee), and Deandre Ayton (ankle). Saric himself missed all of last season with a torn ACL suffered in the NBA finals at the end of the previous season.

"A back-to-back game yesterday, game today and Dario has been through a lot with injuries and stuff. Just to see how he is playing; I am happy for him as a person. Happy for our team too, and as we continue to get bodies back I think we will be OK,'' Paul said.

After building up a commanding 20-plus lead into the third quarter Sunday against Memphis, the Suns squandered it and led by two with under 10 seconds left to play. Saric's two made free throws near the end helped seal the win for Phoenix.

"We only scored 50 points in the second half, but we did have a really good first half, so it just goes to show you how hard it is to win in this league and how things can change, but I’m proud of the guys," Suns coach Monty Williams said.

"Dario hitting two big free throws down the stretch and Chris' first game back, playing 38 minutes, is like, we did enough to win and I’m proud of the guys for that.”

Memphis' hard-nosed physicality has made them the NBA's current top rebounding team, including on the offensive boards. Phoenix was outmatched throughout the game by Memphis on the glass, 52-40.

The Grizzlies' starting center Steven Adams is one of the hardest bigs to box out, and he had the game-high 16 rebounds to go with his 10 points. Their backup big Brandon Clarke had six rebounds, Desmond Bane had eight with his 24 points, and four of their other players had at least four rebounds for Phoenix to finish with a 15-9 deficit in offensive boards.

The Suns big men had their work cut out for them.

Saric picked up his fifth foul as the Suns were up by 19 in the third quarter's closing seconds, and didn't return until 2:21 left in the fourth. He replaced their Thursday night starting big Bismack Biyombo (four points, three rebounds, one block) who fouled out. Biyombo had replaced Jock Landale after he fouled out just 32 seconds before then.

Saric felt more prepared to defend against the Grizzlies, who routed the Suns by 30 on Jan. 16 in Memphis. He had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in that game, including a rare coast-to-coast layup after he snatched a rebound, but had several lapses on defense giving up a handful of and-ones and got posterized on a mammoth dunk by Clarke.

Saric said he was more prepared for the Grizzlies in their fourth and final matchup this season.

“Maybe I was more aware, but it’s just an NBA game," Saric said. "People are playing on 115, 120 points. Obviously somebody needs to score, so you try to the best that you can to guard your guy, but still you have the help the guys around you. Maybe I was more focusing from watching film more, kind of more ready.”

When the Suns were up by 2 with 12.1 left, Mikal Bridges penetrated and dished the ball to Saric waiting on the right side block on a pick and roll. Morant, known for his skyscraping vertical leap, jumped at Saric, who drew a shooting foul and his two free throws.

“I kind of felt he was gonna jump and was hoping I was gonna get the foul," Saric said. "Maybe I should’ve done a shot fake and go slower a little bit to try to finish to go and-one, but he already jumped on me so I knew it was gonna be two free throws. I wish I made it, but it is what it is.”

Morant had a different perspective on the foul call. He thought he jumped vertically to contest the shot without arching his arms over Saric to cause a foul.

"Definitely. That’s why I didn’t know I kind of reacted the way I did, like I landed out. Tough call," Morant said.

"Obviously, I can stand here and say that possibly could have helped us win the game but it’s a lot of stuff, the reason we lost. Going down 29, not being able to come out and play in that first half. All that goes into play. It’s just tough, when you get that close after being down and that call pretty much decided the game."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dario Saric steps up big, helping to boost Phoenix Suns to third straight win