It started with a basket from the Clippers' most unlikely scorer, Reggie Evans.
With just under eight minutes to play, Evans' layup made the score 95-73, and though the mountain seemed too steep, the Clippers kept climbing.
Evans and the Clippers kept getting stops, and after a night of offensive inefficiencies, the Clippers kept scoring.
As the lead shrunk, the Grizzlies looked to their star, Zach Randolph, for points, but Evans was there to disrupt each of his shots.
Eventually, with under a minute left, Evans caught a pass from Chris Paul and put in another basket, giving the Clippers their first lead of the game. Evans finished with seven points, 13 rebounds, a steal and a block in what would eventually be a Clippers 99-98 win.
"Reggie Evans was the game changer," Paul said. "His presence was what won the game for us."
The Clippers will try for a 2-0 series lead on Wednesday.
NOTES, QUOTES
Butler breaks bone in hand
--The Friday before the Clippers left for Memphis, Caron Butler said something that eventually came true.
"In the playoffs, anything can happen," he said.
And for Butler, "anything" turned out to be good and bad.
The good was the Clippers mounted an improbable 28-3 run to end the game to steal game one in Memphis. But the bad was Butler fractured a bone in his left hand.
Butler suffered the injury in the third quarter defending Rudy Gay. His status for the rest of the series is unknown.
"They are definitely going to go out there and continue to work hard for me," Butler said. "I will be pulling for them and be there in spirit, but it is definitely not over. I feel like we can win this series, and I still have some life."
--The Clippers' fourth-quarter run led to the largest comeback in the NBA postseason in 10 years. The Clippers finished Sunday's game with the Grizzlies on a 28-3 run.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Give us these two. Just give us a chance." -- Guard Chris Paul to Blake Griffin before two free throws to close Memphis' lead to one in the Clippers' 99-98 win over Memphis Sunday night.
ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
--F Blake Griffin got off to a frustrating start in his first career playoff game but bounced back to score 17 points. Griffin made 3-of-4 from the line, including a pair to bring the Clippers within one.
--G Eric Bledsoe helped spark the Clippers' amazing comeback in the fourth quarter. Bledsoe scored nine points, including a huge 3-point basket, in 20 minutes of floor time.
--G Nick Young drained three 3-point shots in a span of a minute.
--G Chris Paul checked back into the game Sunday against Memphis with the Clippers down 90-69. Paul stayed on the court for the rest of the game and captained the Clippers' 28-3 run to steal a win. Paul finished with 14 points and 11 assists.
