Clippers Help Grizzlies Reach a Goal

For the first time, the Memphis Grizzlies will not finish the season with a losing record. They guaranteed it Friday night against the Clippers.

Pau Gasol scored 24 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, and the Grizzlies earned the first .500 season in franchise history with a 98-89 home victory.

Memphis won its 41st game of the season as Gasol, playing in honor of his countrymen killed and injured in Thursday’s terrorist bombings in Spain, took over in the fourth quarter when the Clippers made a comeback. Bonzi Wells, who had 19 points, scored nine straight Memphis points to finish things off.

“Yeah, 41, this was our first goal,” Memphis Coach Hubie Brown said. “The first goal was to get to 41.... We are so far away from peaking. I’m being serious.”

The victory, Memphis’ seventh straight, moved the Grizzlies a half-game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks for the Western Conference’s fifth playoff spot. The Grizzlies swept the Clippers, the first time they have swept a Western Conference foe in franchise history.

The Clippers, who lost their third straight, haven’t won on the road against a Western Conference opponent since Dec. 20.

James Posey matched Wells’ 19 points, while Jason Williams had 13 points and seven assists. Shane Battier added 11 points off the bench.

Quentin Richardson led the Clippers with 25 points, including 15 in the final period to key the Clipper comeback. Richardson also had a team-high 11 rebounds. Elton Brand finished with 15 points; Keyon Dooling and Chris Wilcox scored 12 each.

Los Angeles players pointed to the Grizzlies’ defense and Brown’s 10-man rotation as the keys to the game. Memphis had 13 steals, five blocks and harassed the Clippers into 39.5% shooting.

“All their deflections really hurt us,” Brand said. “They had a lot of strips, and they weren’t fouls. They were clean. That’s how they win so many games, they play you tough on defense.”

Memphis struggled to open the fourth, committing turnovers and hitting only two of 12 shots. Los Angeles took advantage with a 13-2 run, the last two buckets by Richardson giving the Clippers a 78-77 lead.

But Gasol and Wells got on track, and the Memphis fans were able to enjoy the final minute of the victory.

“We realized they were up one, and we had been ahead by 10 the whole game,” Gasol said. “We had to execute and get the ball where it was supposed to be.”

Memphis led, 47-39, at the half behind Williams’ 11 points.

The Grizzlies built the lead to 15 in the third period, until a mini-run by the Clippers cut it to seven. Memphis maintained a 72-63 lead after the third.

“I just think they are ahead of us,” Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy said. “They’re 10 guys deep. They defend. They’re more experienced, and they’ve got a good thing going.”

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The Clippers activated guard Doug Overton and put guard Marko Jaric on the injured list with a left foot injury.

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UP NEXT

Sunday vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m. -- The Clippers lost to the Mavericks by 25 points last month in Dallas but won the first two meetings, including a 100-99 victory Dec. 10 at Staples Center. Corey Maggette has been the leading scorer in all three games for the Clippers but had only eight points on two-for-10 shooting in 31 minutes in a loss to Memphis on Friday. The Clippers are 6-3 at home since Jan. 21.