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Memphis Grizzlies pound paint in rout of Clippers

Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) dunks over Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on October 31, 2012. UPI/Lori Shepler
1 of 2 | Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) dunks over Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles on October 31, 2012. UPI/Lori Shepler | License Photo

The Memphis Grizzlies are fully recovered from a stomach virus that plagued nearly half the team earlier in the week.

Too bad for the Los Angeles Clippers.

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Marc Gasol had 30 points and 12 rebounds and the Grizzlies dominated the paint en route to a 107-91 victory over the Clippers for their 22nd straight home win.

Los Angeles had been shooting 65 percent inside of five feet coming in -- among the top five in the NBA -- and outscored Miami and Orlando a combined 82-58 in the lane during the first two games of its road trip.

It was a different story on Wednesday, as the Grizzlies held a commanding 52-32 advantage in the paint.

Zach Randolph tallied 10 points and eight rebounds, while Courtney Lee netted 13 points for Memphis, which has won six of its last seven games.

Chris Paul posted 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals for the Clippers, who had won three of their last four games heading in.

Paul netted the final four points during a 6-0 flurry that pulled the Clippers within 78-70 late in the third quarter, but Memphis responded with an elongated 25-8 run that bled into the fourth to put the game away.

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The Grizzlies concluded the third by scoring 10 of the last 12 points. Beno Udrih and Lee knocked down 3-pointers after the Clips cut the gap to eight and Quincy Pondexter's driving floater in the paint with 1.5 seconds remaining in the period staked Memphis to an 88-72 cushion heading into the final frame.

Udrih had nine points during the surge, which was capped by consecutive triples from Lee and Jon Leuer for a healthy 103-78 cushion with 8:17 remaining.

Memphis cruised to the easy win the rest of the way.

The Grizzlies led 26-21 following a quarter of play and a 16-5 second-quarter swing helped them jump out to a 49-32 spread before they took a 53-40 advantage into the break.

Game Notes

Memphis shot 49.4 percent (42-of-85) from the field and held LA to 41.6 percent (32-of-77) from the floor ... Udrih and Pondexter finished with 11 points apiece, while Tony Allen finished with 12 for Memphis.

[SportsNetwork.com]

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