Warriors beat Clippers in playoff opener
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, congratulates Steve Blake, center, as Klay Thompson looks on during a timeout in the second half in Game 1 of an opening-round NBA basketball playoff series, Saturday, April 19, 2014, in Los Angeles. The Warriors won 109-105. AP
The Golden State Warriors got Blake Griffin and Chris Paul in foul trouble to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-105 in their NBA playoff opener on Saturday.
Klay Thompson scored 22 points, David Lee added 20, and Stephen Curry 14 for the Warriors, who trailed by 11 points to start the game before rallying in the third when Griffin and Paul were on the bench together.
Paul led the Clippers with 28 points, and J.J. Redick added 22 points in 30 minutes. Griffin finished with 16, fouling out with 48 seconds left and the game tied at 105. DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Foul trouble plagued both teams, but losing Griffin and Paul for periods cost the Clippers at both ends. For the Warriors, Andre Iguodala fouled out with 3:04 left in the game and Lee played with four fouls.
The Clippers were 11 behind early in the fourth, but fought back to lead 103-102, then tie it at 105 with 1 ½ minutes left. Twice in the last 37 seconds, video review gave possession to the Warriors. The Clippers committed 17 turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 94-87 in their Game 1. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson each scored 24 points, and Paul Pierce scored nine of his 15 points in the final quarter as the Nets won despite making 4 of 24 3-pointers.
Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 18 rebounds, the second Raptors player to have a double double in his postseason debut, after Tracy McGrady in 2000. Valanciunas also set a Raptors record for playoff rebounds.
The game was delayed midway through the third quarter when the shot clocks above each basket malfunctioned.
Play eventually resumed with both clocks still dark, and the stadium announcer marking the remaining time at 10 seconds, then counting down from five before saying ‘Horn’ as time expired. The clocks remained inactive for the rest of the game.
In late matches, it was Atlanta at Indiana, and Memphis at Oklahoma City.
