Clippers 93, Grizzlies 91
LOS ANGELES -- Chris Paul hit an off-balance runner as time expired, and the Los Angeles Clippers jumped to a 2-0 series lead in their Western Conference quarterfinal playoff matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies with a 93-91 win Monday night at Staples Center.
Los Angeles had one last shot attempt after Memphis' Mike Conley found Marc Gasol for a wide-open dunk to tie the game at 91 with 14 seconds left.
Paul drove on the Grizzlies' Tony Allen, laid his body into him after a stutter-step, then created enough room to let loose the game-winner, which glanced off the glass.
Paul's late-game heroics overshadowed those of Conley. The Memphis point guard had five of his game-high 28 points during a late-game run that brought the Grizzlies back after they trailed by nine with just under seven minutes left.
Aside from a short third-quarter lull, when the Grizzlies used a 12-4 run to take a one-point lead, the Clippers appeared headed to another easy win. Paul shined and Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford provided the backup.
Paul had 24 points and nine assists. Griffin bounced back from a poor effort in the Clippers' series-opening blowout win, when he had just 10 points and five rebounds, to score 21 points and add eight rebounds.
Crawford -- spurned earlier in the day for the NBA's Sixth Man Award, which went to the New York Knicks' J.R. Smith -- had 10 of his 15 points in the second quarter.
Conley dominated the Los Angeles backcourt for much of the game, hitting 9 of 18 shots from the field -- but just one of five from 3-point range.
Gasol had 17 points and seven rebounds, and Allen added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
NOTES: The Clippers dominated the glass in their Game 1 win, finishing with a 47-23 rebounding advantage. Gasol finished with zero boards in the series-opening loss, and Randolph had just four. The margin was tighter in Game 2, 40-38 for Los Angeles. ... Paul led all scorers with 23 points Saturday, and Eric Bledsoe had 15 off the bench. ... Los Angeles' 112 points in Game 1 marked just the second time a team reached that mark against the Grizzlies this year. ... Paul is one of three players since the 2011 playoffs to score 23 points with at least seven assists and two steals while shooting better than 60 percent after his Game 1 performance. ... Memphis went 27-10 after acquiring Tayshaun Prince in a midseason trade. ... Los Angeles won the regular-season series 3-1, including a 91-87 win on April 13. ... Paul (first) and Conley (third) ranked among the league leaders in steals. ... Both teams set franchise records for wins and winning percentage. ... The Clippers' seven scorers in double-figures in Game 1 tied a franchise record.
