Clippers won’t face the Grizzlies in the opening round of the playoffs after win 110-84

Cross one potential playoff opponent off the list for the Clippers. They won’t be spending any time on Beale Street in the coming weeks.

Memphis is no longer a possibility in the first round after the Clippers dispatched the Grizzlies, 110-84, on Tuesday night at Staples Center in their final home game of the regular season.

That’s a good thing for those who would prefer to avoid watching elbows fly between teams that recently faced each other twice in the first round and have grown weary of the revenge story line involving former Clippers Matt Barnes, Lance Stephenson, et al.

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The Clippers will face either Portland or Dallas when the playoffs start this weekend. If Portland beats lottery-bound Denver at home Wednesday, the Trail Blazers will be the fifth seed and play the fourth-seeded Clippers.

“It’s two teams that we need to prepare for, for the most part, and that’s what we’ll do,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said after his team won its sixth consecutive game.

Memphis can finish no higher than sixth after getting overrun by Clippers guard Chris Paul (12 points and 13 assists) and center DeAndre Jordan (seven points and 12 rebounds), neither of whom played in the fourth quarter.

There were more encouraging signs from Clippers forward Blake Griffin in his fifth game back from a layoff of more than three months. Griffin banked in an 18-foot jumper in the first quarter and rifled a pass to Luc Mbah a Moute for a layup in the third quarter on the way to 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Griffin had fans roaring before tipoff when he took a microphone and thanked them for their support.

“We can’t wait to get the playoffs started and we need you out there with us,” Griffin said.

The Clippers built a 61-43 halftime lead and were never threatened by the Grizzlies, who were missing stars Marc Gasol and Mike Conley because of injuries and won’t get them back for the playoffs. Zach Randolph led Memphis with 14 points.

The Clippers were without sixth man Jamal Crawford, who was given the night off to rest, and shooting guard J.J. Redick in the second half after Redick suffered a bruised left heel in the second quarter and did not return. Redick made three three-pointers before his departure, allowing him to tie the single-season franchise record of 200 three-pointers that he set last season.

The Clippers will be missing most of their top players Wednesday against Phoenix in what amounts to a meaningless regular-season finale. Rivers said Griffin, Paul, Jordan, Redick and Crawford would all stay in Los Angeles.

Rivers said he suspected the teams that remained in play for the fifth spot in the Western Conference wanted to play the Clippers as opposed to the teams above them. Golden State and San Antonio are in the midst of historically dominant seasons and third-seeded Oklahoma City features the always frightening tandem of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

“I think that has been interesting watching all these teams fight so hard to play us,” Rivers said. “But it is tough for us because we have to wait and see who it is.”

Memphis Coach Dave Joerger acknowledged before the game that he wanted to play the Clippers because of the heated history between the teams.

“Just that one extra ounce that a guy has to give,” Joerger said, “could make the difference.”

The Grizzlies will have to find an edge elsewhere now. Meanwhile, the Clippers’ assistant coaches and advance scouts preparing reports on potential playoff opponents just got a bit of a reprieve.

Their list of teams was reduced by one.

Up next

CLIPPERS AT PHOENIX SUNS

When: 7:30.

Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena.

On the air: TV: Prime; Radio: 1150.

Records: Clippers 53-28, Suns 22-59.

Record vs. Suns: 2-1.

Update: Phoenix has won two of its last three games on the way to the draft lottery and can boast a victory over the Clippers in November on its home court. Of course, that triumph came with its starting backcourt intact. Suns guards Eric Bledsoe (knee) and Brandon Knight (sports hernia) have since been lost for the season and center Tyson Chandler is questionable for the finale because of a concussion.

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch