A night after playing with emotion, determination and a chip on their shoulders, the Los Angeles Clippers looked drained and unfocused against the Grizzles on Thursday. But Chris Paul and Co. were able to grind out 98-91 victory over Memphis in a seesaw battle at Staples Center.

The game featured throwback uniforms in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the ABA (America Basketball Association). And the game briefly saw the Clippers return to old, as Chris Paul watch another big lead disappear before his eyes. Wednesday’s contentious loss to the Lakers saw the Clippers hold the lead for nearly every possession through three quarters, but only to relinquish it in the final period. On Thursday, it took all the energy the Clippers had to escape the Grizzlies. It took CP3, playing in his second game after missing the previous five with a strained left hamstring, scoring 18 points, grabbing seven rebounds and handing out seven assists. It took Blake Griffin almost producing a triple-double, 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to maintain a narrow lead throughout the final period and hang on for the win to stay atop the Pacific Division.

The Clippers wore the uniforms of the Los Angeles Stars and the Grizzles sported the jerseys from the Memphis Tams, but neither team showed the offensive prowess those teams displayed back in the ‘70s, when they routinely scored in the 120s. From the tip-off, the game began like one of the high-scoring ABA games, as the Clippers jumped out to a 16-point lead in the first half, building a 29-17 lead after the opening quarter, shooting 63.2 percent from the field and going four-of-six from 3-point range. The Grizzlies got back in it in the second quarter, scoring 27 points while shooting 52.6 percent from the floor. Memphis was led by Rudy Gay, who scored 24 points to keep his team in the game. He banked in a 50-foot half-court shot to beat the buzzer after one, as the Grizzles made a 14-0 run of their own to keep things close.

The Grizzles have been playing without forward Zach Randolph, who is out with a right knee injury, but they still have been able to defend. When the Clippers built an 89-80 lead, Memphis didn’t quit. O.J. Mayo (14 points) made a 3-pointer and one-of-two free throws and Marc Gasol made a pair at the line with 2:37 left to pull the Grizzles to within 89-86. After Paul scored, Gay made one of two free throws, but the Clippers failed to secure the defensive rebound. Gasol outhustled L.A. to the ball was fouled by Mo Williams (18 points). Gasol made both free throws to cut the deficit to 91-89 with 1:19 left.

Out of a Clippers timeout, Caron Butler scored on a baseline drive for a 93-89 L.A. lead. The Clippers were determined not to squander their lead as they had done the night before. They buckled down on defense in the stretch, with Paul and Butler double-teaming Gay. CP3 stripped Gay of the ball and was fouled. He knocked down both free throws for a 95-89 Clippers advantage with 45.9 seconds left. Although Griffin didn’t score in the final period, L.A. scored seven consecutive points in the final minute to seal their third straight win over Memphis.

Los Angeles held Memphis to less than 36 percent shooting and scored 24 points off 17 Grizzles turnovers. Gay finished with 24 points and seven rebound, but had six turnovers. Gasol contributed 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals in the Grizzles second consecutive loss following their seven-game winning streak. Memphis will conclude their four-game West coast trip Saturday in Phoenix against the Suns.

The Clippers’ new nucleus is still learning how to respond to adversity. With a tough upcoming schedule to contend with –no team in the Western Conference has played fewer games than the Clippers- a win against a strong playoff contender should help. Williams scored nine of his 18 points in the final period, while Butler finished with 17 points and the other half of “Lob City” DeAndre Jordan had nine points and nine rebounds, in a good win for a young team. The Clip Show will head to Denver to face the Nuggets on Sunday.