Suns' 4th-quarter failures cost chance to rise in West

Paul Coro | The Arizona Republic

MEMPHIS – A sturdy Western Conference position has been there for the taking, just like the games on this Suns road trip.

Like much of the West, the Suns have underperformed. Fourth-quarter leads fritter away like what remains of autumn leaves in Brooklyn, Detroit and Washington, the places they lost last week.

As they turn the season’s quarter pole Sunday, the Suns are barely out of the playoff picture but it would be hard to picture playoffs with how they have lost seven of their past eight games to drop to 8-12. Last season did not go well, but that Suns team, even with its chemistry issues, was 12-8 at this point.

The Suns repeatedly fail to execute at both ends in winning situations and have been abysmal on defense, where they figured to be better than they had been in years. Instead, teams are shooting 49.7 percent against the Suns during the 1-7 free-fall. In blowing consecutive fourth-quarter leads of nine, 15 and 10, the Suns have allowed 58.8 percent shooting in those fourth quarters to be outscored by 8.3 per quarter.

From Detroit’s Reggie Jackson to Brooklyn’s Shane Larkin to Washington’s Ramon Sessions, dribble-driving guards are getting to the lane nearly at will against the Suns in fourth quarters, especially with Tyson Chandler out hurt and Alex Len sitting during small-ball matchups.

One opposing assistant coach told his team before facing the Suns to attack regularly because the Suns do not have a rim protector with Chandler out. They also have not had a ball stopper. During the past eight games, opponents have made 18.5 shots per game within five feet. The Wizards made eight in just Friday’s fourth quarter, mostly in one-on-one situations and not including the times that the Suns had to foul to prevent layups.

“Lack of knowledge in personnel, hugged up on the weak side when we should be not making people put the ball in their hands and helping other people,” Tucker said. “Mental errors that we’ve got to know.”

Tucker remains rated in the upper 20 percent of all small forwards in defensive analytics. But he also had a series of late mistakes, like fouling with the lead on an offensive rebound try and getting a free-throw rebound knocked away from behind to lead to a Wizards go-ahead, 3-point play when he gambled on the perimeter. Offensively, he also traveled on a post-up with 1:16 to go – this after committing an offensive foul Wednesday with 31 seconds to go in overtime.

The team’s ball-stopping issues come on the perimeter, too. Opponents have had the space to comfortably shoot 3-pointers at a 44.1-percent clip over the eight games.

“We’re going to have to figure it out, especially when these teams go small on us,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. “We don’t seem to be able to punish them.”

A large reason for belief that the Suns would improve defensively was the $54 million addition of Tyson Chandler, who has played four minutes in the past six games due to a hamstring strain and only averaged 18 minutes in the three games before that. He might be able to play Sunday at Memphis.

“Whenever we get him back is going to be a lift to our team,” Suns guard Brandon Knight said.

Meandering Morris

Marcus Morris was not done hurting the Suns after his 24-point, 14-rebound game against them was complete Wednesday.

When the Suns had a chance to seal a win at Detroit, Knight threw a dangerous lob pass when the Pistons needed to foul and Marcus stole it to set up a tie and an overtime Detroit win.

Asked if he anticipated the pass because Knight was a teammate last season, Marcus told mlive.com, “I don’t know. What I do know is that he (Knight) is soft. Soft. He panicked. So when you’re like that, that’s the type of stuff that happens.”

The Markieff saga continues to turn for Phoenix. Hornacek tried bringing Morris off the bench Friday night in an effort to revive his game, one that thrived as a sixth man two seasons ago.

It turned into another peculiar night for Markieff, who returned to action after missing one game – the Wednesday one against Marcus, whose trade made the twins unhappy in July. Markieff has missed three games this season because of his left knee (two for a sprain, one for a bruise) after never missing a game for injury in his career.

Markieff’s shooting has dropped off sharply this season to a career-low 39.0 percent, including getting blocked 13 times in the paint and 27.9 percent 3-point shooting. Opposing players are shooting 51 percent against him. That is 5 percent better than those players shoot against the rest of the NBA.

Markieff nearly made a decisive mistake with 8.8 seconds remaining Friday when he would not settle on a free-throw lane spot as Knight prepared to take one more free throw with the Suns trailing 108-106. He was assessed a delay of game violation, which was a technical foul because Jon Leuer earned the team’s warning violation in the first quarter.

“It was a miscommunication,” Morris said. “He told me I had the choice. Then when I chose, they moved so we both actually had the choice. The ball don’t lie. That’s why they missed (the free throw).”

Free throws

ESPN added the Suns’ Dec. 16 game at Golden State to its broadcast schedule. The tip-off will still be 8:30 p.m. Phoenix time. It still will air on Fox Sports Arizona too.

While in Washington D.C., the Suns made a team outing to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery.

The NBA officiating review showed no incorrect calls in the final two minutes of Friday’s Suns-Wizards game.

Sunday's game

Suns at Grizzlies

When: 1:30 p.m.

Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tenn.

TV/radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7).

Grizzlies update: Memphis (11-9) lost by 20 at home Thursday to San Antonio but has recovered from a 3-6 start. The Grizzlies lead the NBA in free-throw percentage (84.0, a record pace) and turnover differential (minus-3.6 per game). That has overcome 42.4 percent shooting (seventh lowest) and 30.7 percent 3-point shooting (second lowest) as well as 45.7 percent opponent shooting (fifth highest). Each member of Memphis’ star trio has slipped statistically this season – Marc Gasol (16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds), Mike Conley Jr. (15.6 points and 42.3-percent shooting) and Zach Randolph (14.3 points, 8.5 rebounds) – but Gasol has averaged 26.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the past two games. Former Sun Brandan Wright will miss his 14th consecutive game for a sore right knee.