Grizzlies beat Clippers to force Game 7

NBA: Marc Gasol scored 23 points, Zach Randolph had 18 points and 16 rebounds, and the visiting Memphis Grizzlies rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 90-88 Friday night, forcing a decisive seventh game in the series.

Rudy Gay and Mike Conley added 13 points each to help the Grizzlies get their first Staples Center win during this Western Conference first-round series.

Blake Griffin scored 17 points despite a sprained left knee that limited his jumping ability, and Eric Bledoe added 14 off the bench to lead the Clippers, who blew an eight-point lead in the fourth along with a second consecutive chance to close out what would have been a landmark playoff victory for the beleaguered franchise.

Chris Paul scored 11 points playing with a strained right hip flexor and a jammed right middle finger.

Game 7 will be Sunday in Memphis.

• Andersen allegations involve spurned fan: An attorney for Chris “Birdman” Andersen says he believes the allegations that led to a search of the Denver Nuggets player’s home this week involve a spurned female fan.

Denver attorney M. Colin Bresee confirmed to the Associated Press a statement he gave to the Denver Post. In it, he says the woman asked Andersen for “financial remuneration” after traveling to Colorado last year.

Bresee’s statement says he expects the investigation by the Douglas County sheriff’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit to take three weeks, and it will show no criminal wrongdoing by Andersen.

Sheriff’s officials did not immediately return calls asking for comment about Bresee’s statement. But they confirm that the Crimes Against Children unit began investigating Andersen in February after a law enforcement tip from California.

Djokovic loses, won’t return to blue clay

Tennis: Novak Djokovic joined Rafael Nadal in declaring he won’t play again on the new blue clay court at the Madrid Open after losing to Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (2), 6-3 in an all-Serb quarterfinal in Madrid.

Tipsarevic won for the second time in five matches against Djokovic, who last lost at this stage in November at the Paris Masters.

Nadal lost to Fernando Verdasco on Thursday. Afterward, the Spaniard said he wouldn’t return to the tournament unless it reverts to red clay.

Djokovic described the new surface as slippery.

Tipsarevic next plays Roger Federer, who defeated David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4.

Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro used 10 aces to beat Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3, 6-4 and reach the semifinals with Tomas Berdych.

The sixth-seeded Berdych defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2.

• Serena Williams beats Sharapova: Serena Williams cruised past No. 2 Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the Madrid Open semifinals along with top-ranked Victoria Azarenka in Madrid.

Williams sealed her seventh straight win over Sharapova with an emphatic slam on the new blue-clay court. Azarenka overcame a shaky start to beat French Open winner Li Na 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Williams will face Czech Lucie Hradecka after she upset U.S. Open champion and fifth-seeded Sam Stosur 7-6 (8), 7-6 (6).

Junior Seau buried after private funeral

Miscellany: Junior Seau has been buried in his hometown after a private funeral.

Members of Seau’s family and former teammates, including LaDainian Tomlinson, were among those packing a church for the funeral, followed by burial at Eternal Hills cemetery in Oceanside, Calif.

Seau committed suicide on May 2 at his Oceanside home. He played parts of 20 seasons in the NFL, with the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.

• U.S. beats Kazakhstan at hockey worlds: Justin Faulk of the Carolina Hurricanes scored four minutes into overtime for his second goal of the game, sending the United States to a 3-2 victory over Kazakhstan at hockey’s world championships in Helsinki.

In Group, Canada beat defending champion Finland 5-3 in its toughest game yet at the tournament.

• Berens beats Phelps, Lochte: Michael Phelps easily beat Ryan Lochte in perhaps their final race before the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, but they both wound up trailing hometown favorite Ricky Berens at the Charlotte Grand Prix in Charlotte, N.C.

Berens won the 200-meter freestyle in a time of 1 minute, 47.32 seconds. Phelps finished second in 1:48.01, while Lochte finished in sixth place.

• Gatlin, Felix win 100 meters in Doha: American Justin Gatlin nipped Jamaica’s Asafa Powell at the line to win the 100 meters in a time of 9.87 seconds at the season-opening Diamond League track meet in Doha, Qatar.

It was the start of a good night for the Americans, with Allyson Felix winning the women’s 100 from Jamaican rival Veronica Campbell-Brown and Walter Dix setting a meet record of 20.02 in the 200. Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt, coming off a 21-month doping suspension, set a world-leading time this season in winning the 400 in 44.19.

• Rubiano Chavez wins stage; Malori takes Giro lead: Colombian cyclist Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez won the hilly sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia with a long breakaway and Italy’s Adriano Malori took the overall lead in Porto Sant’Elpidio, Italy.

Rubiano Chavez was one of several riders who broke away from the main pack just 14 miles into the 130-mile leg from Urbino to Porto Sant’Elpidio, then he charged in front alone for the final 19 miles.

Johnson takes lead as Woods survives cut

Golf: Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Kevin Na share the lead going into the weekend at The Players Championship and Tiger Woods gets to hang around for a bit longer in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Johnson (66) and Kuchar (68), who live about 100 miles away at Sea Island, and Na (69) were at 8-under 136. They were one shot ahead of PGA Tour rookie Harris English, who birdied the 17th and 18th for a 67. English also lives at Sea Island.

Woods was in danger of missing his second straight cut until he ran off four straight birdies on his way to a 68. He was six shots behind.

Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 1, wasn’t so fortunate. He shot 76 and has failed to make the cut all three times he has played the TPC Sawgrass.