Memphis

The brand of soul music that originated from a segregated Memphis, Tenn., in the 1960s sought to "create a little harmony with harmony," President Obama observed. The music is an important part of American history, he said, and it was celebrated Tuesday night at the White House. Obama spoke at a taping of the latest "In Performance at the White House" series, this one honoring Memphis soul. Whites and blacks came together in Memphis in the 1960s to create a soulful blend of gospel and rhythmic blues despite the segregation that was in place.

Western Conference semifinals No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 5 Grizzlies Season series: Grizzlies, 2-1. Key stat: Memphis power forward Zach Randolph averaged 24.8 points over the Grizzlies' final four games of their first-round series victory over the Clippers. Outlook: Memphis was a tough matchup for Oklahoma City even before Thunder guard Russell Westbrook suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for the rest of the playoffs. The Grizzlies' strength is in the post, where Randolph and center Marc Gasol pounded their young and athletic counterparts in the first round and are certainly eager to try to do the same to Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins.

Clippers tonight VS. MEMPHIS When: 7:30 Where: Staples Center On the air: TV: FS West, ESPN. Radio: 980. Records: Clippers 31-50; Grizzlies 46-35. Record vs. Grizzlies: 1-2. Update: Center Chris Kaman, who sprained his right knee April 6 at Oklahoma City, had an MRI on Tuesday that revealed a bone bruise. He is considered questionable. Ryan Gomes remains doubtful because of a swollen left knee. Rookie point guard Eric Bledsoe, who was suspended for Saturday's game at Houston for breaking a team rule, is expected to return.

Win or go home. It's the slogan for the NBA during the playoffs and it now applies to the Clippers. The reeling Clippers must beat the surging Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, on the road, in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series or L.A.'s season is over. If the Clippers find a way to win - something they haven't done in the last three games after winning the first two in this best-of-seven series - Game 7 would be Sunday at Staples Center.

The Clippers entered Saturday's game against Memphis on a three-game losing streak, partially because they haven't been able to close quarters in a strong manner. In the first half against the Grizzlies, they seemed to temporarily patch that hole, which has enabled them to take a 56-42 lead. The Clippers ended the first quarter on 12-0 run to take a 33-17 advantage into the second quarter. During that scoring spree, there was an incredible Chris Paul juke followed by a floating layup, a Blake Griffin jam and a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Bobby Simmons, who the Clippers re-signed on Saturday.

The recent movie musicals "Nine" and "Rock of Ages" both tanked at the box office, but that apparently isn't stopping producers from investing in an effort to adapt the Tony-winning "Memphis" for the big screen. "Memphis" will be turned into a movie produced by Belle Pictures, the Mark Gordon Co. and Alcon Entertainment, according to various published reports on Sunday. Joe DiPietro, who co-wrote the musical, reportedly will write the screen adaptation.  The musical features a score by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan.

Lakers veteran forward Luke Walton did not make the team flight to Memphis because of intestinal flu, the team said Tuesday. He will not suit up tonight against Memphis. It is unclear if Walton will join the Lakers for their game Wednesday in New Orleans. Walton, in his ninth season with the Lakers, has hardly appeared on the court this season under Coach Mike Brown. Walton has played only 65 minutes in nine games and is averaging 1.3 points and 1.6 rebounds a game. ALSO: Mitch Kupchak: Jim Buss "gets way too much criticism" Dwight Howard, Deron Williams unrealistic targets for Lakers Times' Mike Bresnahan: Don't expect Pau Gasol to be traded

Time: 7:30. On the air: TV: TNT. Where: Staples Center. Records: Clippers 9-5 ; Grizzlies 10-7. Record vs. Grizzlies ( 2010-11): 2-2. Update: The Clippers will be on the big stage tonight, appearing on national television on TNT. More important, they have Chris Paul back. He had sat out five games because of a strained left hamstring, but played against the Lakers on Wednesday night. Memphis has played well in the absence of power forward Zach Randolph, who played in only four regular-season games while recovering from a right knee injury.

Memphis braced as the rain-swollen Mississippi River reached its highest level in more than 70 years early Tuesday, marking what officials hope will be a turning point in the fight against a slow-motion disaster that has flooded low-lying homes and farmland and sent hundreds of residents to emergency shelters. The Tennessee city's musical landmarks — including Beale Street, Sun Studio and Graceland — should be spared, officials said. Farther downstream, officials were worried too. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened a key spillway near New Orleans on Monday, allowing river water to flow into Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Chris Paul sat in a chair wearing a red jacket, his night done early after he was ejected from the game with 2:29 left after getting his second technical foul. Matt Barnes sat in his chair with a towel over his head. Blake Griffin sat in his chair with both hands on his head, his sprained right ankle in a bucket of ice. The Clippers' locker room was mostly quiet after a 118-105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 that eliminated L.A. from the Western Conference first-round playoffs.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  -- Matt Barnes was not going down without a fight. Barnes scored a playoff career-high 30 points in Game 6 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series against Memphis on Friday night. He played small forward and power forward, often having to defend Memphis star Zach Randolph. Barnes made his first seven shots, including his first five three-point tries. Overall, he made 11 of 14 from the field, six of seven beyond the arc. He also had a team-high 10 rebounds in almost 37 minutes, but the Clippers were eliminated by the Grizzlies.

The Clippers' public relations department sent out a notice announcing none of their players would be available Wednesday. It wasn't surprising to hear they lacked the backbone to own up to their own disappearing act a night earlier. The PR notice said the players would be available to talk Thursday at 11:15 p.m. I'm sure the Clippers meant 11:15 a.m., but then I wonder - maybe they don't want anyone talking to them. Why didn't they schedule exit interviews for the players Wednesday?

The Clippers have been pushed to the brink of playoff elimination despite a career effort from Chris Paul. Paul tried to carry the Clippers by himself because his running mate, Blake Griffin, could only play 19 minutes 34 seconds because of a sprained right ankle. But for as much as Paul did in tying his career playoff high with 35 points, he alone couldn't take down the Memphis Grizzlies, who won Game 5, 103-93, Tuesday night at Staples Center. BOX SCORE: Memphis 103, Clippers 93 After Memphis big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol combined for 46 points and 19 rebounds, the Clippers, who won the first two games in this series, now trail the Grizzlies, 3-2. Game 6 is Friday night in Memphis, where the Clippers lost Games 3 and 4 by an average of 16.5 points.

Overall, the Clippers were just barely losing the rebounding battle to the Grizzlies before Game 5 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series at Staples Center. Memphis was averaging 37.8 rebounds per game in the first four games and the Clippers were getting 37.0. But it was in the last two games in Memphis when the Clippers fell apart. In the two games in Memphis, the Clippers were outrebounded 90-61 and outscored 44-6 in second-chance points.

Vinny Del Negro playfully bulled his way through a scrum of reporters Monday afternoon to reach a designated interview area, showing more toughness than any of his players had the previous six days. Were you watching, DeAndre Jordan? Did you take mental notes, Caron Butler? The only player who showed heart when the Clippers became the Memphis Belly Flops in a pair of double-digit playoff road losses to the Grizzlies was Matt Barnes, and that was only after his team had already flubbed Game 4. "We got punked," Barnes said in a refreshingly candid admission.

It's tough to win a playoff game going one on five. The Clippers gamely tried Tuesday at Staples Center, but not even the sustained brilliance of Chris Paul was enough on a night he nearly doubled the output of his fellow starters with 35 points. The Memphis Grizzlies didn't deliver a powerful jab during a 103-93 victory in Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series as much as what seemed like a knockout blow, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

So far in their Western Conference first-round playoff series, the Clippers have not found a way to handle Memphis All-Star power forward Zach Randolph and center Marc Gasol. That has shifted a lot of the pressure on the Clippers' All-Star power forward Blake Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan to deal with the Grizzlies' dynamic duo. As much as anyone, Randolph and Gasol are the reasons why the Grizzlies won the last two games to tie the best-of-seven series, 2-2. Game 5 is Tuesday night at Staples Center, and it will provide Griffin and Jordan another opportunity to wrestle with Randolph and Gasol.