Starting 5: Epic comeback, epic meltdown & an epic triple double

Every morning, we'll give you five things from the night before in the NBA to start your day.

1:  Clippers epic comeback

With 8:00 to go in the game, Mike Conley turned the ball over with the score 95-71.  Little did anyone know that the turnover would be the beginning of the Grizzlies squandering their 24 point lead.  Over the next 7:32, the Clippers whipped off a 26-1 run to take a one-point lead.  The key moment, was this one-minute span:

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies - Play By Play - April 29, 2012 - ESPN via kwout

Memphis' offense was a mess the entire quarter, and the final shot typified that as the Clippers, down one, decided to work the clock down for the final shot rather than make a basket, try to foul a bad free throw shooter, and then take another crack at the game winner.  The Clippers came all the way back for what will go down as a 21 point fourth quarter comeback, the biggest since the Celtics did the same against the Nets in 2002. 

For what it's worth, the Nets won the next three games in that series.   

2:  Rondo's epic meltdown

Maybe "epic" isn't the right word for it, but getting ejected with :41 left in a four point game isn't exactly what the Boston Celtics needed.  He was, to that point, pretty much the only reason a flat Celtics team had a chance to steal game 1 against the Hawks.  

Rondo's tantrum not only marred his good game and sealed a Game 1 loss, it now puts his status for Game 2 in jeopardy.  The rule is clear: intentionally bumping an official is a one-game suspension.  The only argument that Rondo can make, and if you watch the video you'll see it, is that he he tripped:

"I said some words to Marc. I deserved the first tech. As I was walking, I thought he stopped. My momentum carried me into him. I even think I tripped on his foot. I didn’t intentionally chest-bump him. But that’s what it appears to be."

He definitely tripped a little, but he didn't exactly stop himself from bumping Marc Davis. It's like he thought to himself "well, I'm here, let me sneak in some emphasis to make my point." It's open to at least some debate, which the Celtics hope is enough to keep Rondo on the floor tomorrow night.

3:  HIGHLIGHTS!!!

Manu Ginobili with a great no-look pass to Duncan

CP3 to DeAndre... for what else?  The lob

Zach Randolph takes the hard fall... then does a few push ups

4:  Line of the night:  Andrew Bynum: 10 points, 13 rebounds, 10 blocks

What a way to get your first career triple double.  Bynum's length and strength was too much for the Denver Nuggets to handle.  While Kobe was torching the Nuggets for 31, Bynum was making sure the Nuggets stayed off the board on the other end.  His blocks and defensive rebounds personally accounted for 21 stops.  It's no wonder this ended being a blowout.  The Nuggets are going to have a hard time with LA's size.  And if Bynum continues to play defense like this, Denver might not even come close to winning a single game. 

5:  You can quote me on that

''I thought Rondo was walking toward Marc, and Marc turned back toward him, and that's when Rondo bumped him. ... That's all it was, in my opinion. But we'll see.''
     - Celtics coach Doc Rivers on the Rondo ejection

''His timing was impeccable today.  He really understood the rhythm of their offensive players. He was just there at the exact moment, either to change or block the shot.''
     -Kobe Bryant, on Bynum 

"I didn't know what to do, really.  I just walked around and hugged like three different people."
     -Blake Griffin, on his reaction after the Clippers' comeback 

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