Grizzlies overcame delay from water line break, Davis’ triple-double to beat Clippers

Grizzlies overcame delay, Davis to beat Clippers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol each scored 24 points, Zach Randolph added 20, and the Memphis Grizzlies snapped the Los Angeles Clippers’ four-game winning streak with a 104-102 victory Tuesday night.

The Grizzlies overcame Baron Davis’ triple-double, an 18-point deficit and a 36-minute delay caused by a water line break in the fire sprinkler system at FedExForum for their sixth straight home win.

Davis had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for the Clippers, who played without starting center Chris Kaman because of a back injury. Starting forward Marcus Camby missed the second half with a stomach virus. Kaman’s replacement, DeAndre Jordan, had a season-high 23 points.

Memphis (19-18) didn’t take its first lead until a fast-break dunk by Gay gave the Grizzlies a 102-100 advantage with 1:39 to go. Rasual Butler had an opportunity to win it, but missed a 3-point attempt from the corner at the buzzer.

After trailing by double digits for much of the middle two quarters, Memphis gained some momentum after the game was delayed in the closing minute of the third period by the water line break that forced the evacuation of FedExForum. The game restarted after a 36-minute delay and the Grizzlies outscored the Clippers 27-13 the rest of the way.

Kaman, the Western Conference player of the week, had a sore lower back he aggravated during pregame warmups. Jordan stepped in and scored 13 of points — matching a season high — in the first quarter.

Davis posted the first triple-double for the Clippers in seven years, but it wasn’t enough to beat a Grizzlies team that improved to 12-5 at home and 7-0 against opponents with losing records.

The Clippers led 37-26 after the first quarter and stretched their lead to 18 points in the second quarter. They were up 65-52 at the half, scoring 44 points in the paint and shooting 67.5 percent.

The Grizzlies made a run in the third quarter to trim the deficit to 75-72, but the Clippers scored 13 of the game’s next 15 points to go up 88-74.

NOTES: Davis’ triple-double was the first by a Clippers player since Elton Brand recorded one Jan. 26, 2003, against Indiana. It was the 10th triple-double of Davis’ career and his first in two years. … Gasol (shoulder contusion) and point guard Mike Conley (lower back contusion) were last-minute additions to the starting lineup. Conley missed the team’s loss at Charlotte on Saturday.