Clippers eliminate Spurs on late shot

LOS ANGELES - Chris Paul banked in a shot over Tim Duncan with a second left to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 111-109 victory over the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 on Saturday night for a wild finish to an entertaining first-round series.

After Duncan made two free throws to tie it with 8.8 seconds left, Paul drove the right side and put up a one-handed shot over the 39-year Spurs star that went in as he was falling away.

Matt Barnes knocked away the inbound pass to seal the victory and the Staples Center crowd went crazy after the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for just the fourth time in franchise history.

The Clippers, who faltered at home in Games 2 and 5, move on to face the Rockets starting Monday night in Houston.

Paul returned from an early hamstring injury to help keep the Clippers in the game. He scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, including four big three-pointers.

Duncan had 27 points and 11 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the series.

Blake Griffin had 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists for Los Angeles for a second triple-double.

The Clippers trailed by five points with 5:42 left before Griffin made two free throws and J.J. Redick a three-pointer to tie it at 97 with 3:58 to go.

The teams traded leads during the final minutes before Paul made the decisive shot that won the series.