Grizzlies vs. Clippers: Game 6 Highlights, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

The Los Angeles Clippers had a great opportunity to send the Memphis Grizzlies packing on Friday in Game 6, but failed to close things out once again, losing 90-88 at Staples Center.

The Grizzlies' big men came up huge while Chris Paul and Blake Griffin weren't as dominant as they normally are.

Now the Clippers travel to Memphis for the deciding Game 7, with a whole lot of momentum on the Grizzlies' side.

Tweets of the Night

As the Clippers fell behind early, both Griffin and Reggie Evans resorted to flopping. This naturally got people tweeting.

Bleacher Report's own Kyle Vassalo came up with a variation of "Lob City" that seemed fitting at the moment:

"

#flopcity

— Kyle Vassalo (@ASU52) May 12, 2012"

Adding to the bizarre first half, Evans got a technical foul for apparently high-fiving Griffin (a make-up call, perhaps?).

Bill Simmons of Grantland.com tweeted his outrage: 

"

Wow Marc Davis is the worst NBA referee in awhile. He just made one of the most incredibly bad calls I have ever seen in person (T on Evans)

— Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33) May 12, 2012"

J.A. Adande of ESPN made a quip about the difference between Marc and Pau Gasol in the playoffs:

"

every time Marc Gasol makes a good play I picture Kobe texting Pau: "See? SEE?"

— J.A. Adande (@jadande) May 12, 2012"

Both teams struggled to play consistent basketball throughout the game.

Adam Koscielak of Sun-N-Gun.com tweeted:

"

This ending will either be mindblowingly epic and memorable, or underwhelming and sad.

— Adam Koscielak (@AdamKoscielak) May 12, 2012"

Must-See Highlights

While the Clippers tried to get back into the game after a rough start, Evans used a little trickery to gain an advantage.

In the third quarter, Griffin's hustle led to a thunderous dunk off the fast break from DeAndre Jordan.

Grades for Key Grizzlies Players

Rudy Gay: C-

Rudy Gay was largely considered a snub from the All-Star Game this season. He played like he deserved to be left out on Friday. I don't know what's happened to Gay, but he simply hasn't shot well all series long. Gay posted 13 points and six rebounds on 5-of-13 shooting. 

Marc Gasol: A

Gasol, unlike his brother, had a fantastic Game 6 (sorry, Lakers fans). He was a force in the paint, scoring and rebounding at will. Gasol finished with 23 points and nine rebounds on 9-of-16 shooting. 

Zach Randolph: A

Zach Randolph was rounding into form before Game 6, and that showed on Friday, as he scored and rebounded like he used to. He was even a factor on the defensive end as a shot-blocker. Randolph ended with 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks.  

Grades for Key Clippers Players

Chris Paul: B-

Paul didn't dominate like he usually does, for whatever reason. This was clearly his worst game of the playoffs, as he failed to make a significant difference for the Clippers. It didn't help that Vinny Del Negro kept him out of a large portion of the fourth quarter. Paul finished with 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds on 4-of-9 shooting.

Blake Griffin: B

Griffin didn't explode like he has throughout the series, but he was efficient from the floor and got his teammates involved. Griffin ended with 17 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals.

Reggie Evans: B

Evans undeniably had his best game of the playoffs on Friday. His ability to crash the glass and block shots was huge for the Grizzlies. Evans finished with 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Deciding Factor: Rebounding

Despite Evans' job on the glass, the rest of the Clippers failed to make much of a dent in the rebounding department. Meanwhile, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol cleaned up the boards. The Grizzlies out-rebounded the Clippers, 48-32.

Game MVP: Marc Gasol

The game ball could go to either Gasol or Randolph, but Gasol made an impact right away, setting the tone for the game and scoring at a high clip. He showed Pau how it's done. Nothing like a little game tape of his brother to get Pau going in Game 7. 

What's Next?

The Grizzlies host the Clippers on Sunday in the deciding Game 7.

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