PHOENIX - It took 10 games and almost a full calendar month, but the Phoenix Suns weren't going to let Earl Watson's first NBA coaching win go unrecognized.

After the final buzzer sounded on the Suns' unexpected 111-106 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, Phoenix forward P.J. Tucker ran down the game ball make sure it wound up with Watson after the game.

"Earl's been working hard and he really cares," Tucker said. "This is a tough situation, not one you want to wish on anyone, especially their first time being a head coach. He's been putting in the work, trying to motivate guys ... he and I have become close and I have a lot respect for him. I wanted to make sure I gave him that ball."

Center Alex Len scored 22 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and Tucker added 17 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Suns snapped a 13-game losing streak - one shy of the franchise record for futility.

The Suns (15-44) outrebounded the Grizzlies 56-34, hit 12 3-pointers and still couldn't put away a Memphis team that shot 40 percent from the field until the final minute. But they did it, winning for the first time since beat the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 23 and they avoided tying the franchise record of 14 consecutive losses. The Suns lost their last game in the 1995-96 season opened the next year with 13 straight losses.

"It's just one win. It's not a celebration. It's not a championship," said Watson, who had been 0-9 since taking over for Jeff Hornacek on Feb. 1. "What I'm more impressed with is this: We probably play the most physical team in the NBA. They hit us and elbowed us. What did we do? We hit them back, we elbowed them back and it became a brawl ... but we never slowed our pace."

The 7-foot-1 Len and 7-foot-1 Tyson Chandler combined for 28 rebounds, with Len coming one point shy of a career high.

"I like that lineup, especially when we play a team with two traditional bigs," Len said. "I feel like we have an advantage. You're going to win the rebounding battle with two seven-footers in there."

Forward Zach Randolph had 19 points but missed nine of 15 shots for the Grizzlies (34-24), who had beaten the Suns eight straight times and five straight in Phoenix.

"We got off to a slow start. We can play a lot better than we did." Randolph said. "You have to give them credit. The young fella Len had a great game. We need it, man, but we've just got to move on and great ready for the next one."

Guard Mike Conley had 19 points and eight assists and forward Matt Barnes added 16 points for Memphis, which lost for the second time in six games since losing center Marc Gasol to a season-ending foot injury.

The Grizzlies also lost starting forward Brandan Wright when he injured his right knee in a collision with Suns guard Ronnie Price and had to be helped off the court in the first minute of the third quarter. He did not return.

"When you're playing against a young team that's got nothing to lose and you give them confidence early in the game, they start playing at a higher level," Conley said. "They started making plays and P.J. Tucker had a hell of a game. I thought he kind of set the tempo for them and it was their night."

The Grizzlies came in as a hot-shooting team but missed 11 of 13 shots to open the game, although the Suns committed seven turnovers in the first quarter to match Memphis' futility.

Guard Devin Booker was the only player to stand out hitting four of six shots for 10 points. His 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left gave the Suns their biggest lead at 25-18. The starting five of the Grizzlies were a combined 2-for-10 from the field and the team was 6-for-22 (27.3 percent), missing all six 3-point attempts.

"We feel like we're a 3-point shooting team, so at times we chuck," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. "Our offense didn't help out defense to get set and we allowed 111 points."

The Suns still led 28-20 early in the second quarter when the Grizzlies reeled off a 12-3 run and took a 32-31 lead on a jumper by Barnes with 7:11 left in the half. Barnes had all seven of his first-half points in the quarter.

Phoenix answered quickly. Forward Jon Leuer followed a 3-pointer – one of seven the Suns had in the half – with two free throws and his steal led to a Booker layup to restore the lead to 47-39 with 3:16 left. The Suns carried that lead to the half, up 54-46.

Randolph had most of his 11 third-quarter points early and his 5-footer pulled Memphis within three points at 63-60 with 7:13 left. But Price hit the first of his three 3-pointers in the quarter to start a 16-7 Suns run and Tucker ended it with a 3-pointer of his own to give the Suns their biggest lead at 79-67 with 3:43 left.

The Grizzlies were within six twice with two minutes left but Len answered each time, first with a 15-footer and then with a tip-dunk of an Archie Goodwin miss with 2:06 left. Memphis got within five three times in the final minute but got no closer.

NOTES: In the first five games after losing C Marc Gasol (broken right foot) for the season, Memphis has shot 49.3 percent from the floor and averaged 108.6 points. ... Memphis coach Dave Joerger on new G/F P.J. Hairston, who was acquired from the Charlotte Hornets 10 days ago and is nine of 16 from 3-point range in the preceding two games: "He's trying to learn what we're doing and this is a great opportunity for him. The new guys are trying to figure anything out, feel out the offense. We're attacking people on offense right now and we want to have that mindset." ... Suns C Tyson Chandler entered the game with 8,956 career rebounds. He needs 19 more to pass Larry Bird for 51st place on the career list. ... Suns interim coach Earl Watson played 240 games with Memphis (2002-05) and was a member of the first playoff team in 2003-04. ... Former Suns player Vince Carter ranked 24th on the NBA career scoring list with 23,788 points coming into Saturday. That is the second most for a player who has ever worn a Phoenix uniform, trailing only Shaquille O'Neal, who had 28,596 points and is seventh all-time.