Five things to take from Clippers’ 113-102 loss at Memphis

Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) controls the ball against Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 19, 2016, in Memphis, Tenn.

Zach Randolph, left, of Memphis is guarded by the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan during the Grizzlies’ 113-102 victory on Saturday in Memphis/AP photo by Brandon Dill

 

– The Clippers had no answer for Memphis power forward Zach Randolph, who had not played the previous six games because of right knee soreness. Randolph scored 28 points on 10 of 19 shooting, grabbed 11 rebounds and doled out 10 assists for his first career triple-double.

– When Jeff Green left the game with 6:23 to play in the third quarter after having his head cut open by an errant Zach Randolph elbow, the Clippers trailed just 71-68. Less than five minutes later – at the 1:47 mark – the Clippers trailed by 15 at 85-70. Encased therein was a 12-0 Memphis run. Green had eight points on 2 of 5 shooting, so he wasn’t having a huge game. But they did seem to take a step in reverse once he was gone.

– The Clippers were again killed on the boards, being outrebounded 44-30. DeAndre Jordan, who has done so much to keep the Clippers competitive on the boards – especially with second-leading rebounder Blake Griffin out since Christmas – had only seven. That’s well below his season average of 14.0.

– Coach Doc Rivers after the game blasted his team for not competing and intimating it lacked focus by calling Friday’s practice as well as the Saturday morning shootaround a “waste of time.” Jamal Crawford was asked about that. “I didn’t sense it, but he obviously has a different view. He’s sitting there watching and we are playing. You have to trust what he’s saying.”

Chris Paul scored a team-high 25 points on 7 of 14 shooting – 3 of 5 from 3-point range – for the Clippers. But kind of like Jordan in the rebounding department, Paul underachieved in his specialty – assists. He had six. He averages 9.8 – fourth in the league.

BONUS TAKE: Clippers’ reserve post Cole Aldrich missed both of his field-goal attempts and scored just two points. But he four blocked shots, two assists and two steals to go along with four rebounds in 14 minutes.

Clippers can’t stop Zach Randolph, who leads Grizzlies to 113-102 win

Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) shoots in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday, March 19, 2016, in Memphis, Tenn.

Zach Randolph takes a shot during Saturday’s 113-102 victory over the Clippers in Memphis/AP photo by Brandon Dill

 

Zach Randolph of the Memphis Grizzlies had not played the past seven games when he took the court Saturday night at Memphis to take on the Clippers. All Randolph did was come up with his first career triple-double by scoring 28 points, pulling down 11 rebounds and doling out 10 assists in the Grizzlies’ 113-102 victory over the Clippers.

Memphis solidified its position in the Western Conference standings. The Grizzlies (40-30) are in fifth-place, four games behind the fourth-place Clippers and four games ahead of the sixth-place Portland Trail Blazers. If the standings don’t change, the Clippers (43-25) and Grizzlies will play each other in the first round of the playoffs.

Chris Paul led the Clippers with 25 points and six assists, DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and just seven rebounds and Paul Pierce had 12 points off the bench.

Doc Rivers: Saturday’s game at Memphis won’t be playoff preview

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

 

If the season were to end right now, the Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies would play one another in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs as the Clippers (43-14) are in fourth-place and the Grizzlies (39-30) are in fifth.

But Clippers coach Doc Rivers said that when the teams square off Saturday at 5 p.m. at Memphis, it will not a playoff preview because both teams figure to look different than they currently do because of injuries. The Clippers will have power forward Blake Griffin (quad, hand) back for the postseason and the Grizzlies should have back power forward Zach Randolph (sore knee) and point guard Mike Conley (Achilles’ tendinitis).

“At the end of the day, you just come out and play each individual game right now and the playoffs will be a different beast,” Rivers said. “Memphis is a playoff-type team. They’re rugged, they’re tough, so you have to be ready for that.

“But to be honest, there is no thought (about the playoffs) going into that tomorrow night, I can tell you that.”

That’s not to mention that Memphis center Marc Gasol (foot) is out for the season.

Clippers, Grizzlies tied 46-46 at halftime at Staples Center

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers

Two free throws by Jamal Crawford with 7.4 seconds left enabled the Clippers to go into halftime tied 46-46 with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night at Staples Center.

Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 13 points five rebounds and DeAndre Jordan had nine points and four rebounds. Crawford contributed seven points off the bench.

Chris Paul, who missed Saturday’s game with a groin strain, started and scored three points while doling out two assists.

The Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph led everyone with 16 points.

 

Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph thinks a lot of DeAndre Jordan’s defense

DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com

 

Coach Doc Rivers has been saying that Clippers’ center DeAndre Jordan is the best defensive player in the league. It sounds like Memphis’ Zach Randolph thinks a lot of Jordan, too.

Randolph on Saturday led the Grizzlies with 21 points in their 94-86 loss to the Clippers at Staples Center. But he shot just 8 of 19 (42.1 percent) from the field. Jordan was at least partly responsible, Randolph intimated.

“DeAndre is just long,” Randolph said. “DeAndre is long, athletic and one of the best defenders in the league.”

Five things to take from Clippers’ 90-87 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies

Chris Paul reacts after having the ball stolen from him with 1.5 seconds left in the Clippers’ 90-87 loss to Memphis/Photo by Jae C. Hong, Associated Press

 

– There really is nothing for Clippers fans to complain about regarding this loss. The Grizzlies (41-14) have the third-best record in the NBA and a day earlier showed just how good they are by outscoring Portland 34-15 in the fourth quarter to win 98-92 at Portland. Yet, without Blake Griffin, the Clippers almost beat them.

– Afterward, coach Doc Rivers praised the effort Tony Allen did defending Clippers sixth-man Jamal Crawford. Crawford scored 15 points, but made just 4 of 15 from the field.

Chris Paul is human. He had a great game, scoring 30 points with 10 assists, two steals and two blocks. Unfortunately for him, the only thing most fans will remember is his turnover with 1.5 seconds left that sealed the Clippers’ fate. It’s not fair, but it’s reality.

– The Clippers did a nice job harassing Memphis’ Zach Randolph into a 2-for-12 shooting night. Randolph scored just seven points, well of his season average of 16.6.

– One of the reasons why this was such an exciting game is because Memphis coach David Joerger didn’t utilize the hack-a-DJ tactic recently employed against the Clippers by Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Jordan shot only four free throws, making one. He did have 17 rebounds, and he leads the league with a 13.9 average.