A gimpy Chris Paul willed his Clippers to a 111-109 win over the Spurs, scoring 27 points and hitting the game-winning shot with one second remaining after suffering a hamstring injury in the first quarter.
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Paul’s shot put the exclamation mark on a game that embodied the competitive drama the Spurs and Clippers provided in the series’ first six games. The game featured 31 lead changes and 16 ties, including several in the fourth quarter.
“It’s a shame that this was the first round,” Paul told TNT reporters after the game. “Our backs were against the wall time and time again and we kept finding a way.”
Tim Duncan led the way for the Spurs with 27 points and 11 rebounds while Tony Parker added 20 points. The Spurs became the fifth defending champion to lose in the first round since playoff expansion in the 1983-84 season.
Next up: Clippers at Houston, Monday, 7 p.m., TNT
Tomorrow’s Games
(All Times Eastern)
Wizards at Hawks, 1:00 p.m., ABC
Grizzlies at Warriors 3:30 p.m., ABC
