Preview: Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
The Clippers play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at 5 p.m. in their second game of a four-game trip.
The Clippers and the Grizzlies played Monday at Staples Center, resulting in a 90-87 loss for the Clippers. In that game, Mike Conley stole the ball for Chris Paul with 1.9 seconds remaining and the Clippers trailing by one point, 88-87. Conley, who was then fouled, went on to make two free throws to seal the win for the Grizzlies.
After the game, Paul sat by his locker, solemnly reviewing that final play on his tablet device.
“All I kept thinking about is, if I was at home watching this game, I’d say this dummy didn’t even get a shot up,” said Paul, who finished with a game-high 30 points and 10 assists.
Paul and the Clippers now have another shot at Memphis, which is in second place in the Western Conference with a record of 41-15. The sixth-place Clippers (37-21) are five games behind the Grizzlies.
After the Clippers lost to the Grizzlies, they then lost to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, 110-105. In that game, the Clippers had a late-game collapse, allowing the Rockets to enter the fourth quarter with a 15-1 run to turn a one-point deficit into a 13-point lead in the final 12 minutes.
The Grizzlies are coming off a 102-90 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
This will be the Clippers’ eighth game without their superstar power forward Blake Griffin, who is sidelined after having surgery Feb. 9 to remove a staph infection from his right elbow. The Clippers are 4-3 in his absence.
Follow Melissa Rohlin on Twitter @melissarohlin
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