CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Clippers came back from a 22-point first quarter hole and a 16-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the OKC Thunder, 101-99, and tie their Western Conference semifinals at two games apiece.
Chris Paul had 23 points and 10 assists while Blake Griffin added 25 and 9 rebounds, but it was reserves Jamal Crawford and Darren Collison who did the most damage in the endgame. The back-up guards turned in 18 apiece.
"Jamal and DC in that small lineup, that won the game for us. I'm not sure we ever used the lineup, but that group won the game for us," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers told NBA.com.
Down 82-66 with 9:19 to go in the final period, the Clippers wrapped up Game 4 with a 35-17 run. Los Angeles won despite shooting just 39-of-93 from the field (41.9 percent) and 3-of-21 from 3-point range.
Kevin Durant was the high point man for the Thunder with 40 points, but the newly-minted MVP missed 6 of his 7 three-point attempts. Russell Westbrook accounted for 27 and 8 assists and Reggie Jackson added. 10. No other Thunder scored in double figures.
Game 3 is Monday night (Tuesday AM in Manila) at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. (Homer D. Sayson).
Photo: Reserve Darren Collison (middle) is mugged by teammates and Clippers head coach Doc Rivers after scoring 18 points to help Los Angeles sting the Thunder in Game 4, 101-99.
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