With the game close late in the fourth quarter, the Los Angeles Clippers do what veteran teams often do to the NBA’s younger clubs. That was a reasonably competitive game but the Clippers were in control most of the way, got some good bench production, and were able to hold off the Wolves in relatively routine fashion. Griffin is harder to stop, and frankly he’s going to get his numbers against anyone the Wolves send out there, but without Paul running the show and Redick spotting up, hopefully it won’t hurt the Wolves too badly.
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“If you want to find a positive from this game, I guess that’s it”, Griffin said. The Clippers have only played six games on the road all season, and that lack of road experience may play into the Wolves favor as well.
They needed to make 15 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter to get there, including a display in the final minute that led to some mental eye rolling by their coach.
“They’re an experienced team; they know how to play in those situations”, Wolves coach Sam Mitchell said.
Jordan swatted a short jump shot by Zach LaVine and Clippers small forward Luc Mbah a Moute contested a subsequent inbounds pass by LaVine, leading to a turnover that gave the Clippers the ball with a one-point lead and 24 seconds left. Much of that offense came on four monster follow-up dunks as the Clippers led 29-25 after 12 minutes. The Celtics’ Jared Sullinger tied a career high with 20 rebounds to go with 11 points.
Towns had 10 points at halftime, and Minnesota led by two heading into the locker room.
The loss to the Clippers last Sunday was the beginning of a three-game losing streak for the Wolves. “That last minute? Man, it’s killing us, ” he said. “We can’t learn how to pull it through”.
“I always feel like the next shot’s going in, whether it’s from the field or the free-throw line”, Reddick said. Ricky Rubio had a nice all-around game, finishing with 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.
X factor: With the Clippers facing a 4th quarter deficit and J.J. Redick having an off shooting night, Doc Rivers turned to Wesley Johnson in a late game stretch.
“Don’t know if I’m as optimistic with Chris”, Rivers said Saturday. “It seems like when we get to a point where we are up 10, 12, we kind of relax”, Rubio told reporters. Zach LaVine scored 21 and Shabazz Muhammad added 13 points and nine rebounds.
Towns led the Minnesota starters with 18 points. Chris Paul and J.J. Redick, who weren’t expected to play, combined for 27 points.
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Redick was back in the lineup after missing essentially two games with the ankle he sprained 17 seconds into the team’s loss against in on Wednesday. Timberwolves F Kevin Garnett grabbed three defensive rebounds, leaving him four shy of Karl Malone’s all-time record….
