MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Los Angeles Clippers are concentrating on developing a better defensive identity.On Friday night, they made life rather miserable for the Memphis Grizzlies.The Clippers caused 19 turnovers -- 17 on steals -- and forced Memphis into 37 percent shooting before holding off a late Grizzlies push for a 99-88 victory.Our defense is something, right now, that we can hang our hat on, said Chris Paul, who had 27 points and 11 assists for the Clippers.The offense, we have to find it, said Paul, who also had six steals. Wed love to have everything clicking, but Im just happy that our defense is pretty good.Blake Griffin added 14 points and 10 rebounds. J.J. Redick scored 12 points for Los Angeles while DeAndre Jordan grabbed 21 rebounds.The Grizzlies chipped into a Clippers lead that reached 21 points in the third quarter, scoring nine straight points in the fourth. Memphis eventually pulled within 93-86 with less than a minute left, but got no closer.We just got messy, Paul said of the Memphis rally. We didnt take care of the ball.Mike Conley led Memphis with 30 points and 10 assists, while Marc Gasol added 21 points and nine rebounds. Whether it was the Los Angeles defense or poor execution by Memphis, the Grizzlies never really seemed to keep pace with the Clippers.The Grizzlies only salvation was scoring 31 points in the final quarter, connecting on 10 of 18 shots, Conley hitting two 3-pointers.We need to be where theyre at, and were not, said Memphis forward Zach Randolph, who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. We have a lot of work to do. Tonight, they were the better team, and I give them credit.TIP-INSClippers: Los Angeles started the game connecting on its first six shots. ... Los Angeles converted the 19 Memphis miscues into 30 points. . The Clippers bench, which averages 40 points a game, had 22 through three quarters before ending the game with 36.Grizzlies: Memphis coach David Fizdale, who was upset with officials through much of the first half, drew his first technical as a head coach with 3:57 left in the second quarter. Rookie official CJ Washington did the honors. ... Gasol, who was only 3 of 18 from the field in Wednesdays win over New Orleans, started 1 of 11 Friday. ... Memphis lost its first home game of the season.HELPING HANDPaul became the Clippers franchise leader in assists early in the second half, passing Randy Smith, who had 3,498 in his Clippers career. Asked about the milestone, Paul initially said: Its cool, then added of the assists: Ive got the easy job. All I have to do is pass it to somebody. Theyre the ones that have to make the shot.HELLO OLD FRIENDIncluding the postseason, the Grizzlies and Clippers have played 31 times since the start of the 2011-12 season, the most of any Memphis opponent over that span.BAD BOYS, BAD BOYSEntering Fridays game, the teams had been assessed 32 technical fouls over the last 20 games. Griffin has six, while Paul has four and Jordan three. Randolph leads the Grizzlies in techs over that span with three. Fizdale was the only one to draw a technical Friday.UP NEXTClippers: Travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs in the second game of a road back-to-back.Grizzlies: Face the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in the third game of a four-game home stand Wholesale Timberwolves Jerseys Free Shipping . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. 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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Even without another scoring outburst from Russell Westbrook, the Oklahoma City Thunder easily handled Miami.Westbrook had just 14 points -- 19 below his season average entering the game -- but the Thunder still beat the Heat 97-85 on Monday night.Enes Kanter had 24 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 10 of 12 in 21 minutes off the bench. Victor OIadipo scored 17 and rookie Domantas Sabonis had a season-high 15 points to go with 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City.Westbrook finished with 11 assists, and his control of the action helped the Thunder build a 22-point lead after three quarters. He didnt play in the fourth.Hes always looking for his teammates, Kanter said. Hes looking to score, but he knows that hes going to get double-teamed, triple-teamed. They cannot guard him. Theres no one guy in the league that can guard him 1-on-1. Hes making himself better, and hes making everybody else better on the team.Oklahoma City improved to 6-1, the best seven-game start for the franchise since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.Miamis Hassan Whiteside, who entered averaging 20 points and 14.2 rebounds, finished with five points on 1-for-9 shooting and 12 rebounds.Westbrook said Thunder center Steven Adams played well against Whiteside.Steven did a good job of buckling down, using his size, using his ability to be able to use his body and his strength to match, Westbrook said.James Johnson led the Heat with 18 points. Miami shot just 36.9 percent from the field.You have to give them credit defensively, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Theyve shown this year theyre long, theyre athletic, they make multiple efforts.The Thunder led 55-47 at halftime, despite Westbrooks 2-for-10 shooting.The Heat chopped their deficit down to four before Westbrook went off. He converted a three-point play, a mid-range jumper and a 3-pointer to spark a 20-0 run that put the game out of reach.Hes a great player, so hes going to have his fingerprints on the game one way or another, Spoelstra said. Its a matter of time, and you have to find a way as competitors to overcome all of that, and we didnt.---TIP-IINSHeat: Former Thunder player Dion Waiters was cheered loudly during pregame introductions.dddddddddddd He scored two points on 1-for-9 shooting. ... Whiteside had no points or rebounds in the first quarter. ... Double technicals were called on Kanter and Miamis Josh Richardson in the third quarter after an altercation. Heat C Willie Reed was called for a flagrant foul on Kanter late in the third quarter.Thunder: Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said before the game that reserve point guard Cameron Payne is healing from his broken right foot, but there remains no timetable for his return. ... Adams banged his right thumb in the first quarter, but returned to play with it wrapped.HEAT UNIFORMSThe Heat wore patches bearing the names of deceased military members on the front of their uniforms for the first time, a tribute that will continue for four more games. The Home Strong uniforms -- which have been worn before, without the soldier-name patches -- feature military insignia and patriotic symbols. Heat President Pat Riley founded the program to honor returning soldiers in 2006, and the franchise has been active with several veterans programs since. Its just a very small part that we can play in this, to let them know that their lives did have significance, Spoelstra said.QUOTABLEWestbrook on Sabonis performance: I was very, very happy for Domas. He stayed aggressive all night long. He missed some shots early, but he stayed consistent.STAT LINESThe Thunder held Miami to 7-for-24 shooting in the third quarter to take an 83-61 lead at the end of the period.UP NEXTHeat: Miami hosts former teammate Dwyane Wade and the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Wade won three NBA titles with Miami. That will be a special moment, Spoelstra said. It means a lot to all of us, including myself. We know how to compartmentalize.Thunder: Faces one of the best teams in the East on Wednesday night when they host the Toronto Raptors.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP Cheap Jerseys 2018 Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys 2019 NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys From China ' ' '