Spurs tie Clippers at 1-1
Hawks, Grizzlies erect 2-0 series advantage
LOS ANGELES—Defending NBA champion San Antonio pulled off a critical 111-107 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday to square their Western Conference first-round playoff series at 1-1.
The Spurs trailed with eight seconds left in regulation before pulling a off a vital road victory that significantly boosted their chances of defending the title.
In the day’s other games, Atlanta survived a stern challenge from Brooklyn, 96-91, to take a 2-0 series lead, and Memphis also went up 2-0—the first time ever the franchise has done so—by defeating Portland, 97-82.
San Antonio blew 10-point leads in the third and fourth quarters, and only got into overtime on a pair of free throws by Patty Mills with 8 seconds left.
Veteran Tim Duncan, who finished with 28 points, scored four straight points in the extra session while playing with five fouls.
His jump shot snapped a 101-all tie, Mills followed with a fast-break layup off a long pass from Kawhi Leonard, and Leonard (23 points) scored on a layup for a 107-101 lead with 56 seconds left.
Mills had to play a key role after starting point guard Tony Parker departed early with an injury, and the Australian responded with 18 points. Boris Diaw had 12.
The series, the only one of the eight in the first round that is tied after two games, moves to San Antonio for Game 3 on Friday.
Los Angeles’ Blake Griffin had his first career playoff triple-double of 29 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, but his costly turnover late in regulation hurt the Clippers.
Squandering an early 12-point lead, the Hawks fell behind before halftime and spent the rest of the game struggling to put away the No. 8 seed.
It went down to the wire. Brooklyn’s Deron Williams missed an open 15-foot jumper that would’ve tied it with about 10 seconds to go. Kyle Korver rebounded, was fouled and made two free throws to clinch Atlanta’s win.
Paul Millsap top scored with 19 points for the Hawks, whowill be on the road for the next two games, starting with Game 3 on Saturday.
Mike Conley and Courtney Lee each scored 18 points for the Grizzlies, who have taken full advantage of starting the playoffs with homecourt advantage for only the second time in their history. They had only won their playoff opener once before, and that was on the road in San Antonio in 2011.
Marc Gasol had 15 points for Memphis.