Montrezl Harrell tipped in the game-winner with 2.3 seconds remaining, capping a raucous fourth-quarter rally as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-119 on Wednesday night to earn their seventh straight victory.
In what was a competitive game throughout, Memphis opened the fourth quarter with the first 10 points, part of a 19-6 run that spanned the first five minutes of the period. Looking to end a four-game skid, Memphis led for much of the fourth quarter.
The Clippers battled back behind 24 points and 10 rebounds from Harrell, and 24 points from Lou Williams. Moe Harkless scored just five points, getting the start in place of Kawhi Leonard, but provided a win-sealing block of Jaren Jackson Jr.'s shot in the final seconds that would have tied the score.
After a full-strength Clippers lineup beat the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday in the first leg of a back-to-back, reigning NBA Finals MVP Leonard missed Wednesday's game. The NBA fined Los Angeles $50,000 earlier this month when coach Doc Rivers made comments about managing Leonard's workload.
The Clippers came into their current, three-game road trip with just one win away from Staples Center this season. They played without All-Star Paul George for the season's first month, which included four of their first five road games.
Following a dominant performance Tuesday in Dallas, George scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished two assists on Wednesday. George's second 3-pointer of the final 4:10 gave Los Angeles its first lead of the fourth quarter.
Jonas Valanciunas posted game highs of 30 points and 16 rebounds for Memphis.
Rookie guard Ja Morant endured a slow scoring start, but the Grizzlies' leading scorer this season woke up down the stretch. He scored nine of his 20 points late in the fourth quarter, and dished a game-high 11 assists for the night.
Jae Crowder added 20 points and Jackson 17 for Memphis..
--Field Level Media
L.A. Clippers | Memphis | |
Montrezl Harrell 24 | Scoring | Jonas Valanciunas 30 |
Lou Williams 13 | Assists | Ja Morant 11 |
Montrezl Harrell 10 | Rebounds | Jonas Valanciunas 16 |
Lou Williams 9 | Free Throws Made | Jae Crowder 5 |
JaMychal Green 2 | Steals | Ja Morant 4 |
Patrick Beverley 2 | Blocks | Jaren Jackson Jr. 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
L.A. Clippers | 121 | 46.3 | 14-41 | 19-25 | 30 | 43 | 6 | 11 | 16 |
Memphis | 119 | 46.7 | 11-28 | 22-26 | 26 | 48 | 3 | 9 | 20 |