Grizzlies too strong down low, tie series

Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol, of Spain, back, defends against Los Angeles Clippers' DeAndre Jordan during the second half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday, April 25, 2013. The Grizzlies defeated the Clippers 94-82. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol, of Spain, back, defends against Los Angeles Clippers' DeAndre Jordan during the second half of Game 3 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, in Memphis, Tenn., Thursday, April 25, 2013. The Grizzlies defeated the Clippers 94-82. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

MEMPHIS - When Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph click together, the Memphis Grizzlies are very, very tough to beat.

Gasol and Randolph had 24 points apiece and led a strong rebounding effort by the Grizzlies in a 104-83 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday that evened their first-round playoff series at 2-2.

“Their synergy is pretty amazing, you know what I mean,” Clippers guard Chris Paul said. “Z Bo [Randolph] on the inside and big fella Marc, that’s another guard the way he passes the ball and shoots the ball. You just got to run them. You got to run them. You got to try toget them tired. You can’t just leave them in a rocking chair.”

Gasol also contributed 13 rebounds and Randolph had nine boards as Memphis wonits second in a row to ensure another stop in Tennessee for Game 6. Mike Conley had 15 points and 13 assists, and Tayshaun Prince scored 15 in his best game of the series.

“Now we got to go out there and try to get a win,” Memphis Coach Lionel Hollins said.

Paul and Blake Griffin had 19 points apiece for the Clippers, and Griffin also grabbed 10 rebounds. Los Angeles’ reserves outscored its counterparts again, 43-16. But DeAndre Jordan was the only other starter besides Paul and Griffin to score for the Clippers, and he had two points. Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler went a combined 0 for 10 from the floor in being shut out.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

“We got to go back, and we got to take care of business in Game 5 at home in front of our fans,” Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “But there’s no question we’re going to have to get back to playing the way we did the first couple games.”

The team that controls the boards has won each game of the series so far, with Memphis owning a 45-28 advantage in Game 4. That led to a 22-2 difference in second-chance points, boosted by a 13-5 edge on offensive boards.

The Grizzlies used their prowess on the glass to beat the speedy Clippers when it came to fast-break points, 18-6.

Memphis’ biggest advantage is its big men, and Randolph and Gasol each took turns helping the Grizzlies turn this into a best-of-three series. Gasol had six points at halftime, and Tony Allen said Hollins chewed out the 7-foot-1 Spaniard at the break, reminding him to score.

Randolph had 16 points and seven rebounds in the first half as Memphis got off to a quick start, leading 33-25 after the first quarter. Gasol scored 18 in the second half, using an effective jumper to avoid the paint after picking up his third foul with 7:54 left in the third. Randolph got his third 7 seconds later.

It didn’t matter.

The Clippers never led by more than two, the last at 60-58 on a pair of free throws by Paul with 5:58 left in the third. Gasol then hit a 23-footer that beat the shot clock and made a pair of free throws to put Memphis ahead.

Ronny Turiaf’s layup tied it for the sixth and final time. Gasol found Randolph for a layup that put the Grizzlies ahead to stay at 64-62 on the 10th and final lead change with 3:21 left in the third.

BULLS 142, NETS 134, 3OT.

CHICAGO - Nate Robinson scored 34 points, and Chicago wiped out a 14-point deficit late in regulation and beat Brooklyn in triple overtime to take a3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.

The Bulls were trailing 109-95 with less than 4 minutes to go in the fourth quarter when Robinson put the Bulls on his back and carried them to the wild victory.

He scored all but five of his points after the third quarter, including the first 12 in a 14-0 run that wiped out the deficit. Then, with 2 seconds left in the first overtime, he banked in a go-ahead jumper over Deron Williams.

Joe Johnson (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) answered with one of his own to send it into a second overtime, tied at 121. The Bulls had a chance to win in the closing seconds of the next extra session, but Joakim Noah was blocked, and the game went to a third overtime.

The Bulls finally pulled away after Williams (32 points) drove for a layup to pull Brooklyn to 133-130 - the only points for him after regulation - with 3 minutes left.

HAWKS 90, PACERS 69

ATLANTA - Al Horford had 26 points and 16 rebounds as the Atlanta Hawks turned things around dramatically in their playoff series against Indiana, blowing out the Pacers in Game 3.

Playing with much more urgency than they did in two double-digit losses at Indianapolis, the Hawks raced to a 54-30 halftime lead and narrowed the bestof-7 series to 2-1. Game 4 is Monday night in Atlanta, where the Hawks have won 12 in a row over the Pacers dating to 2006.

THUNDER 104, ROCKETS 101

HOUSTON - Kevin Durant scored 41 points in his first game without injured All-Star Russell Westbrook, and Oklahoma City fought off Houston’s late rally to beat the Rockets for a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

Durant scored 27 points in the first half, and the Thunder led by 26 points before a big third-quarter rally by the Rockets put them within striking distance.

Houston regained the lead with about 4 minutes left, and was up with less than a minute remaining. But Durant hit a three-pointer seconds later to put Oklahoma City on top 100-99.

A turnover by James Harden gave the Thunder the ball back and Derek Fisher (Little Rock Parkview, UALR) made two free throws to push the lead to three points. Harden made a layup, but Reggie Jackson hit two more free throws after that.

Houston had a last chance, but Carlos Delfino’s three-pointer fell short.

Harden scored 30 points.

Sports, Pages 23 on 04/28/2013

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