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In brief: Grizzlies stun Spurs for first playoff win

Memphis’ O.J. Mayo, right, and Shane Battier celebrate after the Grizzlies beat the Spurs for the franchise’s first playoff victory. (Associated Press)
Memphis’ O.J. Mayo, right, and Shane Battier celebrate after the Grizzlies beat the Spurs for the franchise’s first playoff victory. (Associated Press)

NBA: Zach Randolph scored nine of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies won a playoff game for the first time in franchise history, stunning the Spurs 101-98 on Sunday in San Antonio.

Memphis trailed in the final minute when Shane Battier buried a 3-pointer with 23.9 seconds left, putting the Grizzlies ahead 99-98. San Antonio had a chance to force overtime, but Richard Jefferson missed an open 3-pointer as time expired.

Memphis was 0-12 in its previous playoff appearances.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 20 points, but they sorely missed All-Star Manu Ginobili, who continued to rest his sprained right elbow.

• Paul leads Hornets past Lakers: Chris Paul had 33 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds, and the visiting New Orleans Hornets pulled away down the stretch, stunning the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers with a 109-100 victory.

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points for the Lakers.

• Celtics beat Knicks on Allen’s 3-pointer: Ray Allen hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, Paul Pierce shut down Carmelo Anthony and the Boston Celtics rallied to beat the visiting New York Knicks 87-85.

New York led 85-84 before Anthony was called for an offensive foul for pushing Pierce with 21 seconds remaining. Allen, who led the Celtics with 24 points, sank the decisive basket from beyond the left arc.

• Thunder rally past Nuggets: Kevin Durant scored 41 points, Russell Westbrook had two crucial late baskets among his 31 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled out a 107-103 win against the visiting Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Westbrook had the go-ahead jumper from the right side with 1:06 left, as several Nuggets looked for it to be waved off with several hands near the rim anxious for a tip-in. Kenyon Martin then missed a jumper from the left wing before Westbrook struck again to make it 104-101 with 22.4 seconds left.

Raymond Felton missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, and Oklahoma City closed it out at the foul line.

Dubinsky, Rangers top Capitals

NHL: Brandon Dubinsky’s goal with 1:39 left snapped a tie, and the Rangers’ struggling offense woke up enough to beat the visiting Washington Capitals 3-2 and get New York back in the first-round series.

After the Rangers managed only one goal in two losses at Washington, Dubinsky, Vinny Prospal and Erik Christensen figured out young Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth to help New York cut the series deficit to 2-1.

• Predators edge Ducks: In Nashville, Tenn., Mike Fisher broke a tie at 10:21 of the third period, and the Nashville Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Martin Erat had a power-play goal and an assist, and David Legwand and Jordin Tootoo also scored for Nashville.

Teemu Selanne scored two goals for the Ducks, and Corey Perry had two assists. Matt Beleskey also had a goal in another physical and tight game between the teams.

• Samuelsson, Luongo lift Canucks: Mikael Samuelsson scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, Roberto Luongo made 30 saves and the visiting Vancouver Canucks moved within a victory of sweeping defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago, beating the Blackhawks 3-2.

Christian Ehrhoff and Daniel Sedin also scored for the Canucks, eliminated by the Blackhawks in the first round the previous two seasons.

Nadal wins seventh straight Monte Carlo

Miscellany: Rafael Nadal won his seventh straight Monte Carlo Masters title, beating David Ferrer 6-4, 7-5 at Monaco.

The top-ranked Nadal chalked up his 37th straight win at the clay-court event. It was his 44th career title and 19th at a Masters event.

• US relegated in Fed Cup: In Stuttgart, Germany, the United States was relegated from the top-tier World Group in the Fed Cup for the first time, falling to Germany when Melanie Oudin lost her singles match to Andrea Petkovic.

Petkovic won 6-2, 6-3 Sunday to give Germany an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

• Timbers top FC Dallas: Kenny Cooper scored against his former club and the expansion Portland Timbers won their second straight match with a 3-2 victory against visiting FC Dallas.

Captain Jack Jewsbury and Rodney Wallace also scored for the Timbers (2-2-1), playing for the second time in three days before a sellout crowd at their renovated downtown stadium.

Kalif Alhassan had two assists for Portland.