MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Chris Paul hit a pair of free throws with 23.7 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from 27 down to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 99-98 Sunday night in the opening game of the Western Conference series.

The Clippers tied the NBA playoff record for largest deficit overcome at the end of three quarters, when they trailed by 21.

Rudy Gay missed a 15-footer with 0.9 seconds left after the Grizzlies squandered a lead they held for the first 47 minutes.

Game 2 is Wednesday night.

Lakers 103, Nuggets 88

LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Andrew Bynum posted the Lakers’ first playoff triple-double in 21 years with an NBA postseason record-tying 10 blocked shots, and Los Angeles thoroughly controlled the tempo in a playoff-opening victory over Denver.

Bynum, the Lakers’ All-Star center coming off his best regular season, also had 10 points and 13 rebounds while incredibly blocking 11 percent of the Nuggets’ 90 shots.

Bynum had the Lakers’ first playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA finals. Fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the playoff-tested Lakers never trailed.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

Hawks 83, Celtics 74

ATLANTA — Josh Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, leading Atlanta over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the final minute turning ugly when Celtics star Rajon Rondo was ejected for bumping an official.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 in the first half, were clinging to a four-point lead when Rondo lost his cool with 41 seconds remaining — and may have cost himself a chance to play Game 2 Tuesday night.

Spurs 106, Jazz 91

SAN ANTONIO — Tony Parker scored 28 points and San Antonio beat Utah to win its playoff opener for the first time in four years.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Spurs dodge another early playoff letdown. Despite boasting the No. 1 seed again, San Antonio hadn’t won a Game 1 in its last six postseason series — including the one that began a shocking first-round ouster last year.

Game 2 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

Bulls 103, 76ers 91

CHICAGO — Derrick Rose crumbled to the floor, clutching his left knee. His season is over and the Bulls’ title hopes just might be finished, too.

Rose will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee late in Chicago’s 103-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Saturday’s playoff opener, casting a big cloud over a team eyeing a championship run.

He scored 23 points and was playing more like the league’s reigning MVP after missing 27 games because of injuries during the regular season, but his injury-plagued season came to an end as the Bulls were wrapping up an impressive victory.

Game 2 is Tuesday in Chicago.

Heat 100, Knicks 67

MIAMI — LeBron James scored 32 points before getting the fourth quarter off, Dwyane Wade added 19 and the Heat rode the strength of a 32-2 run to easily beat the Knicks in Game 1 of the teams’ Eastern Conference first-round series on Saturday.

Mario Chalmers added 11 points and nine assists for Miami, which turned 27 New York turnovers into a franchise playoff-record 38 points.

Game 2 is Monday in Miami.

Thunder 99, Mavs 98

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 25 points and hit the game-winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds left to lift Oklahoma City Thunder over Dallas in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Durant maneuvered to the free throw line and got off a high-arcing shot over Shawn Marion that hit off the front of the rim and then off the backboard before falling through.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points.

Magic 81, Pacers 77

INDIANAPOLIS — Jason Richardson and Jameer Nelson scored 17 points apiece to help sixth-seeded Orlando, playing without Dwight Howard, surprise the third-seeded Pacers in Game 1 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Howard, the Magic’s leading scorer and the league’s top rebounder, will miss the rest of the season after having back surgery. The Magic played defense Howard would have been proud of down the stretch, overcoming a seven-point deficit by holding the Pacers scoreless for the final 4:05.

Game 2 is Monday in Indianapolis.