MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Kawhi Leonard had 28 points, Darius Garland scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers held on for a 123-120 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Bennedict Mathurin finished 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 16 points as the Clippers won for the fourth time in five games despite hitting only four 3-pointers, a season low. Los Angeles was 4 for 17 from distance.<\/p>\n
Ty Jerome led Memphis with 23 points and seven assists. Taylor Hendricks scored 18 and Cedric Coward 15 as Memphis lost its third straight.<\/p>\n
The game was close throughout, and the Grizzlies held a 118-117 lead with about two minutes left. Leonard and Jordan Miller each made a pair of free throws to give Los Angeles a 121-118 edge. Mathurin’s two free throws with 4.4 second left sealed the win as Jerome’s closing 3-point try for Memphis was off the mark.<\/p>\n
The Clippers, who were 15 games under .500 earlier this season, now sit at 31-32. The are in ninth place in the Western Conference, and in the running for a postseason bid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies’ season has been marred by injuries. Six rotation players were on the injured list for Saturday’s game, including guard Ja Morant, who missed his 20th game with a left elbow UCL sprain. <\/p>\n
Before the game, Morant said he wanted to remain with the franchise, even referring to a Grizzlies logo tattooed on his back as a sign of his loyalty. <\/p>\n
Memphis got off to a fast start building a 19-point lead against the Clippers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back.<\/p>\n
The advantage was short-lived. The shooting touch left Memphis, which committed 10 turnovers in the second. Leonard scored 15 points and the Clippers trailed by a point at 59-58 at the break.<\/p>\n
Clippers: Host the Knicks on Monday.<\/p>\n
Grizzlies: At the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.<\/p>\n
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