The Clippers had brought in a defensive-minded, championship coach. Their superstars had gotten better. Their team was deeper, more agile. They had moved ahead while Memphis had slipped back. It was supposed to be different.
Well, Blake Griffin is better and was better. Doc Rivers is the coach. J.J. Redick was missing but they had a better bench, supposedly. Chris Paul was even back.
And still, a full-strength Memphis squad took them to the parking lot and beat them up, stole their lunch money, drank their milkshake, and left a mark. This is still the same Clippers' interior defense that couldn't stop Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. The two beasts down low combined for 38 points and 21 rebounds on Friday in a win over the Clippers, the Grizzlies' fourth in a row and their ninth in 10 games.