Does Game 2 of Clippers/Grizzlies look like first 40 or last 8 of Game 1?

Any discussion of Game 2 between the Clippers and Grizzlies has to start at the end of Game 1, when a 28-3 run by Los Angeles led to an improbable comeback win.

It was devastating to Memphis. Can the Grizzlies put that behind them and bounce back?

If the Grizzlies can, will the Clippers be able to alter the course of the first 40 minutes of that game when they were owned by Memphis? Can the Clippers overcome the loss of Caron Butler with a broken hand?

You can bet you will see a desperate Memphis team that knows it cannot go down 0-2 at home. You can bet the Clippers will be motivated now and make this a closer contest throughout:

Three things to watch:

1) How do the Clippers defend Rudy Gay now? Caron Butler gave the Clippers a veteran, physical wing defender, although the Grizzlies did a good job of forcing bigs to switch onto Gay off picks, then Gay took advantage. But Butler broke his hand. Now? At the three it may be Nick Young, who brings a lot of offense but not much defense. Vinny Del Negro’s other options is the steady but unspectacular Bobby Simmons. Either way the Grizzlies can’t let Memphis switch him into mismatches that he can exploit. Although Young is already a mismatch. Basically, Gay may have a big day and the Clippers have to counter it

2) Can the Clippers get Blake Griffin going, too? Chris Paul is the guy who make s the Clippers offense go. He’s the man. But Griffin is a tough defensive matchup — he has moves and can score out of the post, and if you bring the double he’s a better passer than you think. The Clippers need to counter what Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol can do by making them work on defense and getting Griffin going is key. They need more than just him dunking in transition.

3) Can Zach Randolph get going? Last season he was the reason the Grizzlies upset the Spurs — he was a force in the low block. He has fantastic footwork that creates space for a guy with an amazingly soft touch. But he is not yet 100 percent and it has looked that way. They need him, they need him to make Blake Griffin work (or get in foul trouble), they need his buckets. He will be key.