Paul Pierce had a solid output in both contests over the weekend, but the Los Angeles Clippers stumbled in two road tests.

In Saturday’s 113-102 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies, the Truth totaled 12 points with two rebounds, two assists and two steals off the bench. He followed that performance with nine points and two boards, starting for the Clippers in their 109-105 setback at the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.

The fourth-seeded Clippers (43-26) now sit 4.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (48-22) and 3.5 games ahead of the Grizzlies (40-30).

STRENGTH TOPS FINESSE IN MEMPHIS

The Clippers used the three-ball to remain competitive with the Grizzles, but it was no match to Memphis’ size and strength.

The Grizzlies powered through the paint and dominated the glass to offset the Clippers’ marksmen. Paul totaled three triples, as L.A. shot 40 percent (12-of-30) from deep. But the Grizzles outscored the Clippers 40-24 in the paint and outrebounded them 44-30 for 14 second-chance points.

“I thought they were the tougher team,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “It was clear.”

Los Angeles Clippers v Memphis Grizzlies

Power forward Zach Randolph posted his first triple-double with game-highs in points (28), rebounds (11) and assists (10) to snap Memphis’ four-game losing skid. Point guard Chris Paul paced the Clippers with 25 points and six assists, while center DeAndre Jordan added 16 points and seven boards.

No. 34 kept the Clippers competitive, tallying 11 points in the second stanza to lead all scorers. Paul opened the period with a pair of free throws to knot it at 31. He later knocked down back-to-back triples to give L.A. its largest lead of the period, 42-37.

But Memphis didn’t back down, taking the lead twice more before Paul drained his third three-pointer of the game to deadlock it at 48. The teams traded baskets the final four minutes of the half before shooting guard Tony Allen tipped one in at the buzzer, 58-all.

The Grizzlies built their lead to as many as 15 in the third quarter, and the Clippers were never able to fully recover.

SIMILAR SCENE IN NOLA

What had harmed the Clippers in Memphis proved to be their downfall in New Orleans. The Pelicans were able to get inside to outscore the Clips 42-30 in the paint and outrebound them 54-35 for 16 second-chance points.

With Anthony Davis shut down the remainder of the season (knee, shoulder), New Orleans rallied in the power forward’s first game out. Six Pelicans scored in double figures, beating the Clippers behind a balanced attack.

Los Angeles Clippers v New Orleans Pelicans

CP3 and shooting guard JJ Redick each totaled 24 points, while Jamal Crawford registered 14 off the bench.

Just like Paul had done in Saturday’s game, he made his biggest impact in the second quarter. He hit back-to-back turnaround jumpers to get the Clips within one, 38-37. Then he hit a fadeaway J to push the L.A. lead to three, 48-45, with 2:28 left in the half.

The Clippers extended their lead to as many as six in the quarter, before point guard Jrue Holiday (22 points, eight assists) drove to the basket for a buzzer-beating layup to get within two, 56-54, at the break.

New Orleans opened the second half with a 16-3 run to build a double-digit lead, 70-59. L.A. scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth to get within one, 104-103. CP3 and Crawford highlighted the surge with three-pointers before Jordan cut to the basket for a dunk — all part of a 15-2 run over a two-minute span.

“When you lost the night before and you’re trying to fight uphill, you don’t have a lot of energy left. And there’s no room for mistakes,” Rivers said. “So I was happy with the comeback. I just wasn’t happy with the results.”

Los Angeles Clippers v New Orleans Pelicans

Redick drove to the basket, getting the Clippers within one once more, 106-105, with a reverse layup at the 15.3 mark. But that was the closest they came to reclaiming the lead.

“I just think our spirit isn’t great right now,” Redick said. “We’ve just got to be more together and fight more. You can talk about Xs and Os all you want, but as a player you can feel it when your spirit isn’t right.”

NEXT UP

The Clippers conclude their five-game road stretch against the league-leading Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. The game, which will broadcast on ESPN, is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.

The Clips will be looking for their first win against the defending champions, who are up 3-0 in this season’s series.

Superstar point guard Stephen Curry (30.3 points, 2 steals) and combo forward Draymond Green (9.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists) have led the Warriors to historic levels of greatness this season, somehow building upon their spectacular 2014-15 campaign.

Before the Warriors welcome the Clippers to Oracle Arena, they’ll face the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Monday at 5 p.m. PT.

WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS – MAR. 21

1. y – Golden State Warriors (62-7)
2. y – San Antonio Spurs (59-10) 3 GB
3. y – Oklahoma City Thunder (48-22) 14.5 GB
4. Los Angeles Clippers (43-26) 19 GB
5. Memphis Grizzlies (40-30) 22.5 GB
6. Portland Trail Blazers (36-35) 27 GB
7. Houston Rockets (35-35) 27.5 GB
8. Dallas Mavericks (35-35) 27.5 GB

y – Clinched division

RELATED LINKS

Holiday’s 22 points lead Pelicans past Clippers (AP, Mar. 20, 2016)
Game Book: Clippers at Pelicans (NBA, Mar. 20, 2016)
Randolph’s first triple-double leads Grizzlies past Clippers (AP, Mar. 19, 2016)
Game Book: Clippers at Grizzlies (NBA, Mar. 19, 2016)
Fourth-quarter rally not enough and Clippers fall to Pelicans (Orange County Register, Mar. 20, 2016)
Clippers suffer a dispiriting loss to Pelicans (Los Angeles Times, Mar. 20, 2016)
Even shorthanded, the Grizzlies dominate Clippers (Orange County Register, Mar. 20, 2016)