NBA: Paul makes amends as Clippers avenge loss to Grizzlies

The Los Angeles Clippers avenged a loss to Memphis earlier in the week with a 97-79 victory Friday behind a stellar 19-point performance from Chris Paul. Paul, who botched the closing seconds of Memphis' win on Monday, carried the Clippers Friday by scoring 11 of his points in the fourth quarter. Paul got all his final quarter points in a three-minute span and his three-pointer pushed the Clippers' lead to 86-70 with just over four minutes left. The all-star point guard also dished out 13 assists. His costly turnover helped Memphis to a 90-87 victory at Staples Center arena four days earlier. Los Angeles, which had dropped two straight games coming in, outscored the Grizzlies in the second half 56-38 Friday and saw five players finish in double figures in front of a crowd of 18,100 at the FedEx Forum arena. DeAndre Jordan tallied 15 points and 22 rebounds, Jamal Crawford added 19 points off the bench and J.J. Redick scored 18 for Los Angeles. Zach Randolph paced the Memphis attack with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Mike Conley scored just four on two-of-11 shooting in the Grizzlies' second consecutive loss. A tightly fought first half ended in a 41-41 tie before the three pointers started falling in the third quarter for the Clippers. After hitting just two-of-14 from long range in the first half, the Clippers drained five from beyond the arc in the opening 6:38 of the third. Redick made one on consecutive possessions and Matt Barnes bookended the stretch with threes, including one that gave the visitors a 62-47 lead. Courtney Lee pulled the Grizzlies back within single digits with back-to-back three-pointers, but Memphis still trailed 69-62 entering the final quarter and missed eight of nine shots to start the fourth.