B4 TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 THE ADVOCATE-MESSENGER SPORTS WWW.AMNEWS.COM Celtics Paul leads have Clippers pride ATLANTA (AP) — Boston’s Big Three still has some life in those old bones. to OT win Thirty-somethings Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and LOS ANGELES (AP) — MEMPHIS (97) Gay 8-25 6-7 23, Randolph 5-11 2-2 12, Gasol 1-4 6- Ray Allen led the Celtics to One day after Chris Paul’s 10 8, Conley 10-15 3-3 25, Allen 3-7 0-0 6, Mayo 1-6 their most recent NBA 2-2 5, Cunningham 2-5 0-0 4, Arenas 0-0 0-0 0, Pon- 27th birthday, the All-Star dexter 1-2 0-0 2, Speights 4-7 1-1 9, Haddadi 1-1 1- championship in 2008, and point guard and his Los An- 2 3. Totals 36-83 21-27 97. this could be their last hur- L.A. CLIPPERS (101) geles Clippers showed Butler 5-10 3-4 14, Griffin 10-15 10-17 30, Jordan 3- rah together in Beantown. they’re growing up splen- 5 0-1 6, Paul 10-22 6-6 27, Foye 1-5 0-0 3, Williams If so, they’re clearly look- 3-10 2-2 9, Martin 1-4 0-0 2, Young 1-4 2-2 5, Evans didly together. 0-1 2-4 2, Bledsoe 0-0 3-4 3. Totals 34-76 28-40 101. ing to go out with a bang. Sure, it’s not happening 3-Point Goals—Memphis 4-13 (Conley 2-2, Mayo 1- “They have pride,” At- 4, Gay 1-6, Allen 0-1), L.A. Clippers 5-16 (Butler 1-2, without growing pains dur- Paul 1-3, Young 1-3, Williams 1-4, Foye 1-4). Fouled lanta Hawks center Al Hor- Out—Griffin. Rebounds—Memphis 58 (Randolph 9), ford said Monday. “That ing a brutal series with the L.A. Clippers 49 (Paul 9). Assists—Memphis 18 (Conley Memphis Grizzlies. After 8), L.A. Clippers 18 (Paul, Griffin 7). Total Fouls—Mem- goes a long way.” phis 34, L.A. Clippers 26. Technicals—Cunningham, The Big Three (plus, let’s surviving overtime in their Gay, Randolph, Jordan, Paul. A—19,167 (19,060). toughest test yet, Paul and not forget, Rajon Rondo) his teammates are on the have led the Celtics to a 3-1 verge of an achievement row of chairs in an attempt lead over the Hawks. Game with better rewards than to save a loose ball. 5 is tonight in Atlanta, with candles and cake. “He’s a great player, and Boston looking to wrap up Paul scored eight of his 27 that’s what great players do,” the series after a 22-point points in a dynamic over- Memphis coach Lionel blowout that wasn’t really time performance, and the Hollins said. that close. Clippers moved to the verge Game 5 is Wednesday “They’ve got guys who’ve of their second playoff series night in Memphis, with been in wars, who’ve been in the trenches, who’ve been victory in 36 years with a Game 6 back at Staples Cen- in these type of situations 101-97 win over Memphis ter on Friday if the Clippers more than we have,” Atlanta on Monday night, taking a 3- can’t close. After Paul hit consecutive coach Larry Drew said. 1 series lead. “When you look at their his- jumpers to put the Clippers The Clippers blew a 10- tory over the last few years, ahead 99-93 with 44 sec- point lead late in regulation they’ve always been a dan- before finishing without onds left, Mike Conley’s gerous team to me.” Blake Griffin, who fouled layup with 8.1 seconds left The Celtics approached out midway through over- trimmed the Clippers’ lead the midway point at 15-17, time. It could have been an- back to two points. closer to missing the play- other disaster for a franchise But after Mo Williams hit offs than making any noise with more than its share, but two free throws with 7.2 sec- in the postseason. But they Paul wouldn’t allow it. onds left and Rudy Gay were one of the best teams “It’s fun, it’s exciting,” said missed a meaningless 3- in the league the rest of the Paul, who atoned for his in- pointer, Griffin and Paul em- way, winning 24 of their last ability to score at the regula- braced while another AP Photo/Chris Carlson 34 games and carrying that tion buzzer. “The worst frenzied sellout crowd of Los Angeles’ Blake Griffin, right, gets called with a charging foul on Memphis’ Marc Gasol during Monday’s momentum into the play- mistake I probably made in long-suffering Clippers fans game. Griffin fouled out, but the Clippers won in overtime to take a 3-1 series lead. offs. After three tight games the game was not getting the roared. with Atlanta, they took con- shot at the end of regulation. “Chris is always intense,” trol of the series with a 101- If I was at home watching it Clippers coach Vinny Del game between us. We have a giving away a big late lead. We can try and make it 79 rout Sunday night. on TV, I’d be talking so bad Negro said. “That’s what lot of competitive guys that After the Clippers rallied tougher on him, but still he’s The 34-year-old Pierce about me. But you’ve got to makes him special. Chris is don’t give up in this series. from big fourth-quarter going to make plays and scored 24 points in less than get through it. The (best) so good, not only at making We have two teams that are deficits in their first two vic- make his teammates better. 19 minutes — not bad, con- thing about it is that I have plays for himself, but mak- going to fight until the end.” tories, Memphis rallied to That’s what he’s been sidering he hurt his left knee teammates that have confi- ing the right play. That’s In their breakthrough 85-83 on Zach Randolph’s doing.” in the morning shootaround dence in me. Everything that what makes him a star.” season since pairing Paul jumper with 1:25 left. Gay hit The Clippers led 95-89 and the Celtics weren’t even we do is a team win.” Conley scored a career with Griffin, the Clippers the tying jumper in the final when Griffin fouled out, and sure he’d be able to play. Maybe so, but the Clip- playoff-high 25 points and need one more victory to minute of regulation, and the Grizzlies trimmed it to He’s averaging a series-lead- pers were ever so grateful to Gay had 23 on 8-of-25 win their second playoff se- Paul drove for the go-ahead two points on jumpers by ing 23.3 points a game, in- rely on their All-Star point shooting for the Grizzlies, ries since the erstwhile Buf- layup — his only points of Conley and Gay. Paul went cluding a gutsy 36-point guard. who couldn’t match Paul’s falo Braves moved to the fourth quarter — before to work, shaking loose from effort in Game 2, when Griffin had 30 points and late-game poise in another California. Los Angeles beat Randolph coolly hit two defenders and hitting back- Boston grabbed a win on the seven assists before fouling thrilling chapter of a highly Denver in the first round in tying free throws with 20.4 to-back jumpers sandwich- road even with Rondo serv- out for the Clippers, who entertaining series with four 2006, but hadn’t been back seconds left. ing a turnover by Conley. ing a suspension for bump- blew an 84-74 lead over the games decided by a total of to the postseason until this Paul couldn’t get a shot “Defensively in the over- ing a referee. The 35-year-old Garnett s final 4 1/2 minutes before 15 points. spring. on the final possession of time, we got three stops in a averaging 17 points in the Paul took charge in extra “It’s good TV, man, get the Caron Butler, playing with regulation, with Tony Allen row, and Chris came down ratings up,” Paul said. “We a broken bone in his left and Gay swarming him — and hit big shot after big series and leads the Celtics time. in rebounding (10.5 a don’t want any blowouts. hand, scored 14 points for but he didn’t quit. shot,” Griffin said. “We keep He played with the same game). Allen, 36, who had There’s a reason we finished the Clippers, who still can’t “It’s Chris Paul. He made telling ourselves, and we’ve intensity he showed late in not played since April 10 be- regulation, heedlessly fling- 4-5 (in the Western Confer- be comfortable after getting his name off doing that,” Gay said this all year, it starts on outrebounded 47-36 and said. “He’s a tough guard. defense for us.” cause of bone spurs in his ing himself over the front ence standings) with one right ankle, returned for the past two games in Boston to provide valuable minutes off the bench. He’s averaging Spurs can recharge after sweep 12.5 points. Rondo got off to a rough start in the series, bumping SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — layup that sealed the win.