LOS ANGELES ? Blake Griffin scored 20 points, Chris Paul added 18 points and seven assists in his second game back from injury, and the first-place Los Angeles Clippers hung on in the fourth quarter for a 98-91 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.
Mo Williams scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, and Griffin added nine rebounds and eight assists as the Clippers maintained a narrow lead throughout the final period. Caron Butler scored 17 points, and Paul also had seven rebounds while playing back-to-back games after missing the previous five with a strained left hamstring.
Rudy Gay scored 24 points for the Grizzlies, who have lost two straight following a seven-game winning streak. Marc Gasol added 18 points and 11 rebounds on Memphis' third stop on a four-game West Coast trip.
Gasol's two free throws trimmed the Clippers' lead to 91-89, but Butler hit a driving layup, and Paul made two free throws after a steal with 45 seconds left. Although Griffin didn't score in the fourth quarter, the Clippers scored seven consecutive points in the final minute to seal their third straight win over Memphis.
DeAndre Jordan had nine points and nine rebounds as the Clippers bounced back from Wednesday's contentious loss to the Lakers, dropping that rivalry game after holding the lead for nearly every possession of the first 3 1/2 quarters. The Clippers' new nucleus is still learning how to respond to adversity, and this gritty win over a strong playoff contender should help.
The Clippers stayed in first place in the Pacific Division even during Paul's absence and after their first loss of the season to the Lakers, but a tougher schedule looms for a franchise with just one winning season in 19 years. No team in the Western Conference has played fewer games than the Clippers' 16 ? including 11 in front of sellout home crowds.
The Grizzlies had a day off after their loss in Portland on Tuesday in their fourth game in five days. Gay managed just 11 points against the Trail Blazers, but surpassed that well before halftime against the Clippers.
Paul made a four-point play during an early 11-0 run by the Clippers, who jumped out to a 27-11 lead late in the first quarter. Rudy Gay made a 50-foot shot at the first-quarter buzzer as the Grizzlies made a 14-0 run of their own, keeping it close into the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Both teams wore throwback ABA uniforms. The Clippers dressed in the baby-blue-and-red gear of the Los Angeles Stars, while the Grizzlies sported the Memphis Tams' gold jerseys and green shorts. Starting in 1972, Charlie Finley dressed his newly purchased basketball team in the same colors worn by his Oakland Athletics and the NHL's California Golden Seals. ... Before the game, the Clippers assigned G Eric Bledsoe to the D-League's Bakersfield Jam in his comeback from a torn meniscus in his right knee. The second-year point guard was hurt during an offseason workout. ... Fans near courtside included Rihanna, Billy Crystal, "True Blood" actor Jim Parrack and David Justice.
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