The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Clippers 92-80 in Game 5 on Wednesday evening, forcing a Game 6 to take place at Staples Center in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET on Friday night. If needed, Game 7 will take place on Sunday in Memphis.
After losing 97-101 to the Clippers on Monday in Game 4, the Grizzlies made a comeback by building a double-digit lead of home victory, leading by as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter, and leaving the Clippers hurting.
Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol scored 23 points and Zack Randolph tossed in another 19, while Clippers’ Blake Griffin sprang his left knee, and Chris Paul had to spend the final minute of the game on the bench after suffering from a sore right hip.
“I had talked to them earlier, yesterday and today about them needing to play better,” said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, as quoted by NBA’s website. “They needed to work harder to get the ball in the post, and we needed to make sure we threw it to them when they were open. And, they got off to a good start. Marc really got us off and then it just carried forward through the whole first half.”
Even though the Clippers still has a 3-2 lead in the series, injuries to their two All-Stars could make Friday’s game more challenging.
“There’s no point leaving home if we don’t know our way back,” Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo told The Associated Press. “We can’t look at Sunday because we have to make sure we get back home after Friday night.”
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