May 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) makes the game-winning shot over San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) in the fourth quarter in game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Clippers won 111-109. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — Point guard Chris Paul scored the winning bucket with one second left, lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to a series-clinching 111-109 win over the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of their Western Conference first-round playoff matchup on Saturday night at Staples Center.
Despite straining his left hamstring in the first quarter, Paul banked in a leaner over Spurs forward Tim Duncan and finished with 27 points as the Clippers advanced to the conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets. Game 1 is Monday in Houston.
Clippers forward Blake Griffin added 24 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the series.
Duncan finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Spurs. Point guard Tony Parker had 20 points.
Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick’s 3-point jumper tied the score at 97 with 4:58 left. After a basket by Duncan, Redick buried another trey for a brief Clippers lead.
Griffin’s two free throws with 3:35 remaining put Los Angeles up 102-101. However, Duncan’s putback and forward Kawhi Leonard’s follow of a miss by guard Patty Mills lifted the Spurs to a 105-102 lead before Barnes’ 3-pointer tied the score again at 105.
Parker’s putback made it 107-105 for the Spurs with 1:23 remaining. Clippers guard Jamal Crawford scored on a drive to tie the score. Paul’s two free throws with 13.3 seconds left gave the Clippers a 109-107 lead.
Duncan converted two foul shots with 8.8 seconds remaining to knot the score at 109 before Paul’s heroics.
There were 17 lead changes in the first half and seven ties before the Clippers took a 57-55 lead at the break.
The score was tied at 76 with 7.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter when the Spurs got a break. San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili drew a foul on Los Angeles guard Austin Rivers in the backcourt attempting a 3-point with 7.8 seconds left in the quarter. Ginobili hit two of the three foul shots.
However, Paul banked in a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left, giving Los Angeles a 79-78 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich acknowledged that Game 7 wasn’t just another game like he said of Game 6. “I think everybody in the playoffs enjoys a challenge or we wouldn’t be doing these jobs,” Popovich said. “But you can’t approach it like a different monster, and you don’t have to jack the guys up and have a Knute Rockne (speech) ready for them. They know what the deal is.” … Clippers coach Doc Rivers said he and his club were able to focus more on the game unlike last year’s Game 7 matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Last year, the Clippers were in the midst of the fallout surrounding former owner Donald Sterling and his taped racist rants to a mistress. “Everything was going nuts at that point,” Rivers said. “It is nice to just focus on basketball.”
