Clippers ride fourth-quarter wave past Grizzlies
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that had a few bounces in recent games had favored the Clippers, they might not have lost five in a row or been the only team in the NBA without a victory since the AllStar break.
His point was that two of those losses were decided by one point and another by seven points, where a missed rebound or late shot could have made a difference.
“The ball hasn’t bounced our way yet,” Lue said. “So, we just got to stay with it, continue to keep putting in the work and keep grinding and that’s what our guys have been doing. Things will turn.”
The Clippers saw plenty of things turn their way in a 135-129 victory Sunday, but it took some work against a severely short-handed Memphis Grizzlies team that was missing four players.
The Clippers overcame a 51-point third quarter by the Grizzlies, 17 turnovers and needed big games from Paul George (42 points, 11 rebounds) and Kawhi Leonard (34 points, 10 rebounds, four assists) and solid defensive work in the final quarter to pull off their first victory in nine days.
On paper, it didn’t look like a fair fight. The Grizzlies were without four key players for various reasons. Star guard Ja Morant was not with the team after being suspended for two games after brandishing a gun in an Instagram video.
Dillon Brooks is suspended after getting his 16th technical foul, while Steven Adams (right knee strain) and Brandon Clarke (Achilles tear) also sat out.
Still, at times, the Clippers had trouble matching the Grizzlies’ intensity. Memphis came out aggressive, especially early on, pushing the pace and shooting 63% in the first quarter. This was not a team wringing its hands over its current state.
The Grizzlies, who trailed 67-61 at the half, used a 51-point third quarter to take a 112-97 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones (starting for Morant) led the barrage that put the Clippers in 15-point hole.
George, though, wouldn’t let the chance at their first victory in more than a week slip away. With the Clippers trailing 121-109, George scored six consecutive points followed by a 14-foot pull up jumper by Leonard as L.A. trimmed the deficit to 121-117 with 5:46 remaining.
Suddenly a sense of urgency set in.
“All our games count, from one to 82, and so you can’t wait to have a sense of urgency the last 16 games,” Lue said. “But we’ve been playing with urgency, we just haven’t had things go our way.”
Leonard took a pass from Marcus Morris Sr., raced downcourt and buried a 3-pointer to pull the Clippers to within one, then scored on a dunk to give the Clippers a 122-121 lead. A pair of free throws by Leonard made it 124-121 with 3:21 left. Memphis scored just eight points the rest of the way.
The Grizzlies’’ energy waned briefly early in the second half. With Morris Sr. on the bench and Nicholas Batum on the floor, the Clippers opened the second half with a 5-0 run. Morris Sr.’s offense had diminished lately and there was some thought that Lue would replace him in the starting lineup.
Morris, who had missed the previous two games because of an elbow injury, exited the game after six minutes and played 11 in the first half. He was scoreless on four shots.
Behind Terance Mann and George, the Clippers ran out to an 11-point lead, but the Grizzlies weren’t fazed. The big third quarter by Memphis seemingly had the Grizzlies in control heading into the final period.