Grizzlies

Kobe Bryant scored 36 points and keyed a late rally to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap a two-game losing streak with a 105-96 victory over the Grizzlies last night in Memphis. The Lakers trailed, 93-88, with 3:08 left, but closed the game on a 17-3 run, including 10 points from Bryant to overtake the Grizzlies down the stretch. Bryant was 14 of 23 from the field, part of Los Angeles shooting 54 percent on the night. Pau Gasol had 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in his return to Memphis.

Chris Paul played with an aching right hip and Blake Griffin's sprained left knee stiffened up during the game. If the Clippers were truly a two-man team, then they would have been in trouble facing elimination by the Memphis Grizzlies. Good thing the guys on the Clippers' bench want to keep playing. Kenyon Martin's 23-footer put the Clippers ahead to start a fourth quarter in which backups scored 25 of their 27 points, helping Los Angeles' other NBA team beat Memphis 82-72 Sunday and advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

Chauncey Billups scored 30 points, including a 15-footer with 0.3 seconds left in the second overtime, as the Detroit Pistons beat the Grizzlies, 106-104, last night in Memphis. Billups took the inbounds pass from Tayshaun Prince, dribbled to the left side of the key, and hit the shot to send the Pistons to their fourth straight win. The Grizzlies, who lost for the fourth time in five games, had tied the game at 104 when Damon Stoudamire made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 4.6 seconds left.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Los Angeles Clippers refused to let a third chance to knock the Memphis Grizzlies out of the playoffs slip away. Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with an 82-72 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 on Sunday. ‘‘That's why it's seven games," Martin said. ‘‘If you don't do it before, you get another chance. So they did what they had to do, they came and stole home court back on our floor.

Mike Conley had 15 points and seven assists to help the eighth-seeded Grizzlies rout the San Antonio Spurs, 104-86, last night in Memphis to grab a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round series. The Grizzlies already had made franchise history by winning their first playoff game in Game 1 and added their first playoff win at home. Now they are a game away from becoming the second eighth seed to knock off a No. 1 seed since the NBA expanded to a best-of-seven series, joining the 2007 Warriors.

Mike Conley drove past Shaquille O’Neal for a layup with 3 seconds left to give the Grizzlies a 111-109 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers last night in Memphis. LeBron James, who had 43 points and 13 rebounds, took the last shot, but his 30-footer over Rudy Gay hit the front of the rim, snapping the Cavaliers’ four-game winning streak. Zach Randolph led Memphis with 32 points and 14 rebounds. O.J. Mayo scored 28, and Gay finished with 21 points. Marc Gasol had 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Celtics were thrilled to get Chris Wilcox at the mini mid-level exception of $2.5 million and hoped the wildly inconsistent forward would respond when playing with a winning franchise. Wilcox has yet to play in the postseason during his nine-year NBA career. The acquisition had yet to reap any benefits until about 10 days ago because Wilcox spent the first month banged up with a sprained left shoulder and left calf. Since being pressed back into the lineup during a comeback win against the Magic Jan. 26, Wilcox has been stellar as a backup forward-center.

MEMPHIS — He got up from the folding chair after doing an interview, walked a few steps down the dim and narrow FedEx Forum hall, and creaked into the Celtics’ locker room. He was glad it was finally over. Not just the game, but the week. “Time to go home,’’ Paul Pierce said. After going to Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Miami, last night’s game against Memphis was the one that could have easily slipped through the cracks. The Grizzlies needed a win after losing four of five.

The Memphis Grizzlies are finding a little desperation can carry them a long way. How far? That remains to be seen, but they sure keep finding ways to win. Zach Randolph had 21 points and a franchise-record 21 rebounds, and the Grizzlies rallied from a 16-point deficit to stun the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 101-93, in overtime yesterday and grab a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series. The Grizzlies are trying to do something no NBA team has done in climbing from the No. 8 seed all the way to the Western Conference finals.

O.J. Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Grizzlies bounced back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-98, Wednesday night in Memphis. The Grizzlies blew a 27-point lead in losing Game 1 Sunday night and letting the Clippers grab home-court advantage in the best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series. They got back to their physical style and evened the series. Game 3 is Saturday in Los Angeles. Rudy Gay scored 21 points as Memphis showed off its depth with six players reaching double figures.

The Los Angeles Clippers refused to let a third chance to knock the Memphis Grizzlies out of the playoffs slip away. Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with an 82-72 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 on Sunday. "That's why it's seven games," Martin said. "If you don't do it before, you get another chance. So they did what they had to do, they came and stole home court back on our floor.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers are 0 for 2 in closeout games, and now their playoff future comes down to a decisive Game 7. Win and the franchise can savor a landmark series victory. Lose and the Clippers will face the same derision that has dogged them for years. ‘‘It's do or die now," Blake Griffin said. The Clippers put themselves in this must-win situation by blowing an eight-point fourth-quarter lead in a 90-88 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

This time, the fourth quarter belonged to the Memphis Grizzlies. Long the domain of the Clippers' Chris Paul, it was the Grizzlies who rallied in the closing minutes to beat Los Angeles 90-88 and force a decisive seventh game in their playoff series. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph worked their inside-out game to perfection on a night when Paul and Blake Griffin were limited by injuries and the Clippers' bench couldn't quite put them over the top. "This one has to hurt," Paul said.

The Memphis Grizzlies have the Los Angeles Clippers frustrated and hurting. Blake Griffin sprained his left knee, Chris Paul went to the Clippers' bench with a sore right hip and another late comeback fizzled against a Memphis team that got back to its bruising, grinding style to stave off elimination with a 92-80 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Game 6 in the first-round Western Conference series is in Los Angeles on Friday night. If needed, Game 7 will be Sunday in Memphis.

O.J. Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Grizzlies bounced back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-98, Wednesday night in Memphis. The Grizzlies blew a 27-point lead in losing Game 1 Sunday night and letting the Clippers grab home-court advantage in the best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series. They got back to their physical style and evened the series. Game 3 is Saturday in Los Angeles. Rudy Gay scored 21 points as Memphis showed off its depth with six players reaching double figures.

O.J. Mayo scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and the Memphis Grizzlies bounced back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-98 on Wednesday night. The Grizzlies blew a 27-point lead in losing Game 1 on Sunday night and letting the Clippers grab home-court advantage in the best-of-seven, first-round Western Conference series. They got back to their physical style and evened the series. Game 3 is Saturday in Los Angeles. Rudy Gay also scored 21 points as Memphis showed off its depth with six players reaching double figures.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 26 points, James Harden led an outburst by Oklahoma City’s bench with 21, and the Thunder evened their series with Memphis by beating the Grizzlies, 111-102, in Game 2 last night. After scoring just 16 points in a Game 1 loss, the Thunder’s bench tripled that amount and put Oklahoma City firmly in control with an 18-6 run to start the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook scored 24 and his backup, Eric Maynor, added 15 for the Thunder.

Chris Paul begged coach Vinny Del Negro to put him back into the game for the fourth quarter and not give up despite being down 21 points. The result was another Clippers comeback — one of the greatest in NBA playoff history. Paul hit a pair of free throws with 23.7 seconds left, and the Clippers rallied from a deficit that had been as much as 27 to stun the Memphis Grizzlies 99-98 Sunday night in the opening game of their Western Conference series. The key, Paul said, is to keep believing.