Grizzlies bounce back with win over Clippers
Published 2:24 am Thursday, May 3, 2012
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — O.J. Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies bounced back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-98 on Wednesday night.
The Grizzlies blew a 27-point lead in losing Game 1 on Sunday night and letting the Clippers grab home-court advantage in the best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series. They got back to their physical style and evened the series.
Rudy Gay also scored 21 points as Memphis showed off its depth with six players reaching double figures. Mike Conley had 19, Zach Randolph 15, Marreese Speights 11 and Tony Allen 10.
All-Star guard Chris Paul led the Clippers with 29 points. Blake Griffin had 22, and Mo Williams and Nick Young 11 apiece.
The Grizzlies had the lead going into the fourth quarter for a second straight game. This time, the Clippers got no closer than four.
Game 3 is Saturday in Los Angeles.
SPURS 114, JAZZ 83
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tony Parker scored 18 points and San Antonio handed Utah its second-worst playoff loss, routing the Jazz to take a 2-0 series lead.
NBA Coach of the Year Gregg Popovich practically put the Spurs on autopilot after a 20-0 run in the second quarter that stunned the Jazz, who had vowed to play better after the Spurs easily won Game 1. But this loss was even more humiliating.
The Jazz never quite greeted Parker with the hard fouls the All-Star was supposed to have coming, and the Utah frontcourt of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap wasn’t any more imposing on offense. Jefferson scored 10 points, and Millsap had nine.
The only bigger embarrassment for the Jazz in the playoffs was a 42-point loss to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 NBA Finals. It was the most lopsided postseason win for the Spurs since beating Denver by 28 in 2005. San Antonio’s playoff record is a 40-point victory over Denver in 1983.
Tim Duncan finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, and Kawhi Leonard had 17 points.
Game 3 is Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
PACERS 97, MAGIC 74
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Danny Granger had 26 points and nine rebounds, Roy Hibbert added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Indiana beat Orlando Magic to a take a 2-1 series lead.
The Pacers regained home-court advantage with the victory, riding good shooting early and building a 29-point lead in the fourth quarter. They also dominated scoring underneath thanks to a 46-33 rebounding edge and have outscored the Magic 81-43 in the third quarter in the series.
Glen Davis led the Magic with 22 points, and J.J. Redick added 13. The Magic never led, struggled to get any scoring in the paint, and made a series-low five 3-pointers.
Game 4 is Saturday in Orlando.