NBA Playoffs: Clippers Take 2-0 Lead on Chris Paul’s Buzzer Beater

Apr 20, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (11) defends against Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) during game one of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

With the game tied at 91 in the final seconds of the game, Chris Paul hit a running jumper against Tony Allen as the clock expired, giving the Los Angeles Clippers the win, and a comfortable 2-0 lead in the series.

“Tony played as good [of] defense as you can,” Paul said. “I looked up at the clock and thought I better get a shot off.”

After reviewing the play, the referees declared that there was a tenth of a second left.  Memphis did not have enough time to get a shot off.

“It hurts,” said Mike Conley, who scored a playoff-career-high 28 points for the Memphis Grizzlies. “We wanted to come here and steal one.”

Paul finished with 24 points and nine assists, Blake Griffin added 21 points and 8 rebounds, and Jamal Crawford scored 15 points, including going 6 for 6 from the field before missing a shot, on the day he finished second to J.R. Smith of the Knicks for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award.

The Grizzlies played a lot better and made the game close throughout the game, after being blown out by 21 points in game 1.  Conley led the Grizzlies’ fourth-quarter charge that came up just short. He had 10 points in the period, while Darrell Arthur scored five straight when Zach Randolph was on the bench to pull Memphis into an 89-all tie.  Allen finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the last play is what will stick in his mind.

“I was supposed to send him (Paul) back to the left. He got right, and that’s what he does in close games,” Allen said. “I definitely let my team down by not sending him back to his weak hand.”

 Marc Gasol scored 17 points on the day that he was named defensive player of the year, while Zach Randolph scored 13 points, but was in foul trouble for most of the game, just like he was in game 1.

The Clippers received contributions off their bench from Eric Bledsoe and Matt Barnes, who both scored four points each in an 8-0 run early in the fourth quarter that brought the Clippers their first double-digit lead of the game, 81-71.

Conley then helped spark a small comeback for the Grizzlies, and the game was pretty even for the last half of the fourth.

The Grizzlies have a lot of work to do to get back in the series.  Game 3 will be on Thursday night in Memphis.

Paul’s game winner:

http://youtu.be/mX8Pcrt1p7Y

Box Score:

Memphis Grizzlies

STARTERS

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

31

5-10

0-0

3-5

4

4

8

0

2

0

3

5

+1

13

38

2-10

0-1

2-2

0

6

6

1

0

0

0

1

+7

6

44

6-14

0-0

5-6

2

5

7

2

1

3

2

2

+8

17

44

9-18

1-5

9-13

0

3

3

9

2

0

3

4

+3

28

39

6-9

1-1

3-7

1

9

10

1

2

1

3

3

+5

16

BENCH

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

18

4-5

0-1

1-1

1

1

2

1

0

1

0

3

-11

9

3

0-1

0-0

0-0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

-4

0

11

0-1

0-1

0-0

0

1

1

0

1

0

0

0

-8

0

9

1-4

0-1

0-0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

1

-7

2

3

0-1

0-1

0-0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

2

-4

0

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

TOTALS

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

PTS

Los Angeles Clippers

STARTERS

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

34

9-18

0-0

3-5

2

6

8

4

0

1

4

3

-6

21

21

4-6

0-1

1-1

0

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

-8

9

24

2-5

0-0

0-2

4

4

8

0

1

4

1

3

-4

4

23

2-8

1-4

0-0

1

3

4

1

0

1

0

0

-11

5

36

9-17

0-3

6-6

1

3

4

9

1

0

1

4

-4

24

BENCH

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

18

0-2

0-1

0-0

1

4

5

2

0

1

2

3

-1

0

20

2-5

0-2

3-4

0

3

3

1

0

1

1

3

+15

7

13

0-1

0-0

0-0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

4

+6

0

3

0-0

0-0

0-0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

3

+5

0

14

3-6

0-1

2-2

0

4

4

1

0

1

1

3

+5

8

34

6-10

1-3

2-2

0

2

2

1

3

0

1

1

+13

15

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

TOTALS

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

PTS