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GRIZZLIES, RANDOLPH SURVIVE FOR GAME 7

 
Published May 14, 2011|Updated May 16, 2011

Times wires

MEMPHIS - Zach Randolph is doing everything he can to keep the Grizzlies' memorable playoff run going.

Randolph had 30 points and 13 rebounds, and the Grizzlies avoided elimination by beating the Thunder 95-83 on Friday night to push their Western Conference semifinal to Game 7.

"We came out with a lot of energy - playing together," Randolph said. "I was a little more aggressive."

The Grizzlies had never won before when facing elimination, but that was in 2004, 2005 and 2006. These Grizzlies are having not only the best playoff run in franchise history, but they now have won more games this postseason than any other No. 8 seed from the West.

"It ain't over with yet," Randolph said of the series, which moves to Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City. The winner plays the Mavericks, with Game 1 of the West final at 9 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas.

O.J. Mayo, who started in place of Sam Young, scored 16 for Grizzlies, who improved to 5-1 on their homecourt in this postseason. Mike Conley had 11 points and 12 assists, and Tony Allen added 10 points.

The Grizzlies outscored the Thunder 51-29 in the second half and 46-38 in the paint.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 27 points. Kevin Durant, the NBA's leading scorer in the regular season, was held to a postseason-low 11 points.

Randolph had been limited to just 19.8 points and 31.9 percent shooting since he scored a career-best 34 in Game 1. He had been the focus of the Thunder's defense.

But the power forward scored 11 in the fourth to preserve the Grizzlies' lead. He scored six straight, capped by a 12-foot fallaway jumper.

The Thunder had its biggest lead at 54-41 just before halftime and looked ready to blow out the Grizzlies, just as it did in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.

But Shane Battier ended the first half with a 3-pointer, and the Grizzlies used that as the start of an 18-5 run into the third. Randolph's bucket with 5:19 left in the third tied it at 59, Marc Gasol tied it again at 65, and Mayo's three-point play put Memphis ahead to stay at 68-65 with 2:10 left.

Grizzlies 95, Thunder 83

OKLAHOMA CITY (83): Durant 3-14 4-6 11, Ibaka 4-6 0-0 8, Perkins 1-3 4-6 6, Westbrook 11-22 4-5 27, Sefolosha 2-4 0-0 4, Harden 5-10 2-3 14, Collison 3-5 0-0 6, Mohammed 0-2 1-2 1, Maynor 2-5 2-2 6, Cook 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 31-74 17-24 83.

MEMPHIS (95): Allen 4-6 1-2 10, Randolph 12-22 6-8 30, Gasol 3-8 2-2 8, Conley 3-12 4-4 11, Mayo 6-12 2-2 16, Battier 2-6 0-0 5, Haddadi 0-1 0-0 0, Vasquez 0-2 0-0 0, Arthur 3-7 2-2 8, Young 3-7 1-2 7. Totals 36-83 18-22 95.

Oklahoma City 21 33 14 15 - 83

Memphis 23 21 28 23 - 95

3-Point Goals-Oklahoma City 4-25 (Harden 2-5, Westbrook 1-5, Durant 1-9, Maynor 0-1, Sefolosha 0-2, Cook 0-3), Memphis 5-16 (Mayo 2-4, Allen 1-2, Battier 1-3, Conley 1-4, Randolph 0-1, Young 0-2). Fouled Out-None. Rebounds-Oklahoma City 48 (Durant, Perkins 7), Memphis 53 (Randolph 13). Assists-Oklahoma City 15 (Harden 5), Memphis 20 (Conley 12). Total Fouls-Oklahoma City 21, Memphis 22. Technicals-Harden, Ibaka, Westbrook, Mayo, Randolph. A-18,119 (18,119).

Rivers, Celtics agree to five-year extension

WALTHAM, Mass. - During his postseason news conference, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge took a call - and he said it was his new coach.

But he was only half-joking: It was Doc Rivers, who had just agreed to a five-year extension.

"I think Doc is the best coach in the league. So it's great for us," Ainge said.

Rivers' contract was set to expire - he had an option for next season - and he said after the Celtics were eliminated by the Heat on Wednesday night that he was "leaning heavily" toward coming back. So he agreed to a five-year extension worth a reported $35 million.

Rivers has coached the Celtics for the past seven seasons, winning the title in 2008 and reaching the Finals in 2010 before losing to the Lakers.

Meanwhile, center-forward Jermaine O'Neal will have "pretty serious surgery" on broken bones in his left wrist, Ainge said. O'Neal was injured when he took a charge in the Knicks series and landed on his wrist.