Clippers cruise past Grizzlies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Point guard Chris Paul posted a double-double with 27 points and 11 assists as the Los Angeles Clippers cruised to 99-88 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies Friday night at FedExForum.
Paul also had six steals and four rebounds and was 14 of 15 from the foul line. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan scored six points and grabbed 21 rebounds. Forward Blake finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and guard J.J. Redick chipped in 12 points.
The Clippers (4-1) led by 18 points at halftime by as much as 21 points in the second half. The Grizzlies made a too-little, too-late fourth-quarter charge to get within seven points in the final minute of the game.
Point guard Mike Conley led Memphis with a season-high 30 points and 10 assists and knocked down 7 of 11 threes. Center Marc Gasol finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds.
The Grizzlies (3-3) made just 31 of 84 shots from the floor for 34.6 percent. They were 9 of 26 from 3-point range for 34.6 percent. Los Angeles hit on 32 of 85 from the field for 37.6 percent and was 8 of 27 for 29.6 percent from behind the arc.
The Clippers dominated fastbreak points 31-8. They also scored 30 points off 19 Memphis turnovers; the Clippers entered the game leading the league in opponents' turnovers at 18.8 per game and had the lowest points-allowed-per-game at 91.0.
Los Angeles led Memphis 36-22 on bench scoring. Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph led all reserves with 15 points and 9 rebounds.
The Clippers doubled up the Grizzlies 30-15 in the second quarter and led 53-35 at halftime. Paul and Conley each had 15 points. Memphis shot just 27.3 percent from the field through two quarters and the Grizzlies' David Fizdale picked up his first technical foul as an NBA head coach.
NOTES: A rivalry that has featured some great playoff games, there have been 32 technical fouls over the last 20 meetings between the Grizzlies and Clippers. Game 6 of the 2013 Western Conference Finals featured seven technical fouls and Los Angeles point guard Chris Paul and Grizzlies PF Zach Randolph were both ejected in the fourth quarter. ... The Clippers' 68.9 percent free throw percentage ranked 29th in the league despite G Jamal Crawford being 16 of 16 this season; C DeAndre Jordan was 6 of 21 for 28.6 percent. ... Memphis came in 12th in the NBA in 3-point FG percentage (35.9), a change from years past. But Clippers coach Doc Rivers said: "They get it from posting and throwing it out, still in to out basketball."