Bulls sack Nets in triple OT

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CHICAGO — Nate Robinson scored 34 points, and the Chicago Bulls wiped out a 14-point deficit late in regulation and beat the Brooklyn Nets 142-134 in triple overtime Saturday and take a 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.

The Bulls were trailing 109-95 with less than 4 minutes to go in the fourth quarter when Robinson put the Bulls on his back and carried them to the wild victory.

He scored all but five of his points after the third quarter, including the first 12 in a 14-0 run that wiped out that deficit. Then, with 2 seconds left in the first overtime, he banked in what looked as if it would the winning jumper over Deron Williams.

Instead, Joe Johnson answered with one of his own to tie it at 121 and send it into a second overtime. The Bulls had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but Joakim Noah got blocked, and the game went to a third overtime tied at 127.

The Bulls then finally took control for good after Williams (32 points) drove for a layup to pull Brooklyn to 133-130 — the only points for him after regulation — with 3 minutes left in the game.

Luol Deng answered with a basket to make it a five-point game, and Nazr Mohammed came up with two baskets in the final 32 seconds to help preserve the win.

He scored on a jump hook, then grabbed the rebound and scored with 19 seconds left after Carlos Boozer made a free throw and missed the second, making it 140-134.

Grizzlies 104, Clippers 83

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Marc Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Clippers to even their first-round series at 2-all.

Zach Randolph finished with 24 points and nine rebounds as the Grizzlies won their second straight to ensure another stop in Memphis for Game 6. Mike Conley had 15 points and 13 assists, and Tayshaun Prince scored 15 in his best game of the series.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin had 19 points apiece for the Clippers, and Griffin also grabbed 10 rebounds. Los Angeles’ reserves outscored its counterparts again, 43-16. But DeAndre Jordan was the only other starter to score for Los Angeles, and he had two points. Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler went a combined 0 for 10 from the floor in being shut out.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

The team that controls the boards has won each game of the series so far, with Memphis owning a 45-28 advantage in Game 4. That led to a 22-2 scoring difference in second-chance points, boosted by a 13-5 edge on offensive boards.

The Grizzlies used their prowess on the glass to beat the speedy Clippers when it came to fast-break points, 18-6.

Memphis’ biggest advantage is its big men, and Randolph and Gasol each took turns helping the Grizzlies turn this into a best-of-three series.

Randolph had 16 points and seven rebounds in the first half as Memphis got off to a quick start, leading 33-25 after the first quarter. Gasol scored 18 in the second half, using an effective jumper to avoid the paint after picking up his third foul with 7:54 left in the third. Randolph got his third 7 seconds later.

It didn’t matter.

The Clippers never lead by more than two, the last at 60-58 on a pair of free throws by Paul with 5:58 left in the third. Gasol then hit a 23-footer that beat the shot clock and made a pair of free throws to put Memphis ahead.

Ronny Turiaf’s layup tied it for the sixth and final time. Gasol found Randolph for a layup that put Memphis ahead to stay at 64-62 on the 10th and final lead change with 3:21 left in the third.

Memphis blew it open with a 19-5 surge at the beginning of the fourth and went up as much as 20, the first on a drive by Pondexter with 3:45 left.