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Los Angeles Clippers (40-26) @ Memphis Grizzlies (41-25)
WHERE: FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN
WHEN: Wednesday, May 9th, at 6:30 PM Pacific/9:30 PM Eastern
MEDIA: TNT / FSN Prime Ticket / KFWB 980AM (Radio)
Game 1: Clippers Win 99-98
Game 2: Grizzlies Win 105-98
Game 3: Clippers Win 87-86
Game 4: Clippers Win 101-97
Game 5: Wednesday, May 9th in Memphis at 6:30 Pacific on TNT
Game 6: Friday, May 11th in Los Angeles TBA on TNT*
Game 7: Sunday, May 13th in Memphis TBA on ABC/ESPN*
* If Needed
Season Series:
Clippers Win 98-91
Clippers Win 101-85
Grizzlies Win 94-85
Clippers Projected Starters
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Chris Paul | Randy Foye | Caron Butler | Blake Griffin | DeAndre Jordan
Key Reserves
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Eric Bledsoe | Nick Young | Reggie Evans
Grizzlies Projected Starters
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Mike Conley | Tony Allen | Rudy Gay | Zach Randolph | Marc Gasol
Grizzlies Key Reserves
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Gilbert Arenas | OJ Mayo | Marreese Speights
A Little Throwback
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQGEBt6IUkE[/youtube]
Despite being up 3-1, I view this game as a must win for the Clipper squad. A loss here would put all the pressure on the Clippers to win Game 6 in Staples, and I don't want to take a chance of going back to Memphis for Game 7. Paul and Griffin need to remain start out aggressive and continue it on throughout the game. DeAndre needs to wake up and the defensive rotations need to be crisp.
Player Quotes on Importance of Closing Teams Out
Randy Foye:
"We have to take it one game at a time and understand that if we go down there and we play our game and play together, we're going to have a great chance to close them out."
Vinny Del Negro:
"We can't just rely on [having] home court in Game 6. We have to go in there with the right mentality in Game 5 and I'm sure our veteran guys who have been through it with help with that."
Reggie Evans:
"Just focus in for the whole 48 minutes and do the little things, like boxing out, helping guards out, and stuff like that, and turning the ball over less like we did against them in the regular season. That's the way we've got to play for 48 minutes and find a way to get a win instead of just holding your breath and hoping that we get a stop at the end.
"They're still going to bring it. They've got no quit in them."
Chris Paul:
"I was telling them about the close-out games. They're the toughest ones, especially in their place. I'm sure they're excited to be going back home and we've shown the ability to win there, so we need to come out ready to play. It's going to be a different there, obviously, with the crowd behind them. We got down early [in Game 4] and our crowd's energy got us back into it. It's not going to be that way when we go on the road."
Interesting Fact:
Marko Jaric, though a disappointment in a Clippers uniform, is indirectly responsible for both this playoff run and the 2006 run. Trading him to Minnesota brought in Cassell and a first round pick. Cassell led us to the post-season and the first was a key part of acquiring Chris Paul, who is the key reason we are doing so well.
Good Luck Charm: Danica McKellar aka Winnie Cooper
