PHOENIX -- The Memphis Grizzlies are back in the playoffs and the upstart Phoenix Suns are staying home.
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 postseason 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 Plumlee's tip-in with 1:27 to play.
Conley, taking a pass from Randolph, followed with a three-pointer that put the Grizzlies up 93-91 with 1:08 to go. It was the first go-ahead 3 of Conley's career with two minutes or less remaining in a game.
Dragic threw the ball away on Phoenix's 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.
"It's 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.
"We've needed every game basically since February it seems like," Conley said. "We've played every game like a playoff game. It's been fun to be part of a group that comes in and stays focused and to get back in the playoffs. It's 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 we've been through since December," first-year Memphis coach David Joerger said. "For these guys, it's 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 tonight.
Warriors 130, T'wolves 120
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry had 32 points and 15 assists, and the reeling Golden State Warriors rallied from 19 points down in the first half to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After learning that center Andrew Bogut could miss extended time with a fractured right rib, the Warriors (50-31) withstood a strong start by Kevin Love to secure the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They finish the regular season today at Denver before beginning the postseason at the Los Angeles Clippers or Oklahoma City this weekend.
Love scored 22 of his 40 points in the first quarter. He finished with 14 rebounds and nine assists for the Timberwolves (40-41), who will need to win at Utah today to clinch the franchise's first non-losing season since 2004-05.
Bulls 108, Magic 95
CHICAGO-- Joakim Noah had 18 points and 10 rebounds and eight assists, Mike Dunleavy scored 22 points and the Chicago Bulls pulled away late for a victory over the Orlando Magic.
With one game left in the regular season, the Bulls are fourth in the Eastern Conference playoff race and looking at a first-round matchup with Brooklyn. To catch Toronto and finish third, the Bulls would need to win the season finale at Charlotte today and have the Raptors lose at New York
Rockets 104, Spurs 98
HOUSTON -- Chandler Parsons scored 21 points and Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones added 20 apiece to lift the Houston Rockets to a win over the San Antonio Spurs.
The victory gave No. 4 seed Houston home-court advantage in their first-round playoff series with Portland.
Marco Belinelli had 17 points to lead the Spurs, who limited the minutes of stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili with their top seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secure.
Pelicans 101, Thunder 89
NEW ORLEANS -- Tyreke Evans scored a career-high 41 points to go with nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals, and the New Orleans Pelicans snapped an eight-game skid by shocking the playoff-bound Thunder.
New Orleans beat the Thunder for the first time in 11 meetings, dating to Jan. 24, 2011.
Kevin Durant scored 25 for the Thunder, who have lost two straight and won't lock up the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs without at least one more win or a Los Angeles Clippers loss.
Oklahoma City played without Russell Westbrook, who was given the night off to rest.
Sports on 04/16/2014