MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There was a nice breeze, the stench that is Memphis blown over to Arkansas while down at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken it was Jim Brooks’ 72nd birthday.
The Hollywood writing and directing genius was in town with the Clippers for Game 5 of the playoff series, not realizing at the time that munching on fried pickles was going to be as good as it would get.
Happy birthday, Jim, but as any longtime Clippers fan understands, success as a franchise is a frustrating lifetime pursuit. And almost always ends in failure.
But before we get to Friday’s Game 6 in Staples Center and this group’s chance to defy Clippers history, there are yet more obstacles to overcome.
Instead of gaining momentum from throwing a fourth-quarter scare into Memphis before losing Game 5, 92-80, there are the injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin for the Clippers to consider.
The good news, as if any injury report can offer such a thing, is that Paul suffered an injury to his hip flexor. It was first believed he had hurt his groin, an injury that had forced him to miss extended time at the end of the regular season.
“I don’t know what happened,” said Paul, who has dominated this series. “I just felt a sharp pain. I’ll be all right; I’ll be ready.”
Take a deep breath, Clipper Nation.
“I’m playing Friday,” Paul said. “I tried to go [late in the fourth quarter] but I couldn’t. All that matters is that I’ll be good to go on Friday. There’s a difference between being hurt and being injured.
“We’ll go back home and get our fans [help].”
They might need some of them to suit up.
Griffin will undergo an MRI exam Thursday morning on his injured knee.
How tough is Griffin, who has taken more blows to date than an Ultimate Fighter? He said before the game the Grizzlies were “fighting for their lives.”
I said, “Their lives?”
And he replied, “It’s the Hunger Games.”
At times it seems as if that’s the way this series has been played. The last man standing is the winner.
“We’ll be ready,” coach and dreamer Vinny Del Negro said. “We’ll numb everything up and just go play.”
They are already playing Caron Butler, the pain from his broken left hand, as he says, “having a heart of its own as it continues to throb.
“I feel it when I’m running up and down the court, but it’s the playoffs. And I’m determined to be a pest out there and help where I can.”
