Los Angeles Clippers ease over Love-less Minnesota Timberwolves 95-82: NBA Recap
On Thursday night at the Target Center, Minneapolis, MN, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 95-82.
Wolves, who were missing their leading scorer and rebounder, Kevin Love from their line-up, struggled to offer much resistance to the Clippers. They are now out of the race for playoff contention, making this the eighth consecutive
season of having missed out on the post season action. Minnesota, have now lost 7 consecutive games and all of their games played in the month of April.
This was the Clippers 10th win out of the last 12 games and enabled them to get ahead by 1 and half games over the Memphis Grizzlies for the fourth spot in the Western Conference. If the Clippers stay in the fourth spot,
they would acquire home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs, most probably against the Grizzlies.
Blake Griffin scored 19 points, Caron Butler had 17 and Randy Foye added 11 points for the Clippers. Chris Paul managed to score 8 point while also dishing out 8 assists in the game.
Nikola Pekovic was the leading scorer for the Wolves with 17. Anthony Randolph came off the bench to add 16 points where as Martell Webster and Jose Barea contributed 10 points each for Minnesota.
It was an intense physical matchup as both teams pleaded their cases with the officials for most of the night. They grabbed an equal number of rebounds - 45 each - with the Clippers holding a minor edge on the offensive end as
they grabbed 14 as compared to the Wolves 12. However, the Clippers spanked Wolves in transition by getting 11 fast break points.
Clips started the game of on a 5-0 run. The Wolves responded back with 5 of their own. The scores remained close for the next several minutes and were all-square at 11-each with 6:55 to go in the first period. The lead changed
hands thrice in the next several minutes but the Wolves were able to hold off the visiting Clippers and ended the quarter 5 points ahead.
The Wolves went on to extend their advantage to 10 in the early stages of the second quarter, before the Clippers tried coming back into the game. They were able to pull within to 3 points and tied the game at 46-each with 1:41
remaining in the half.
Clippers then took the lead as Griffin completed a three point play by converting a free throw. However, the Wolves responded back to take back the lead on the very next possession and end the half leading by 1 point.
Clippers started the third quarter on a 7-0 run to get their noses in front in the game. Los Angeles did not let complacency get in their way as they remained ahead for the rest of the third quarter. They outscored the hosts 26-20
and were ahead by 13 at one point during the third. However the Wolves were able to end the quarter 12-4 run to chip the lead back down to 5, going into the fourth.
In the final quarter of the game, the Clippers turned the intensity up on their defence as they were able to restrict the Wolves to only 14 points while notching up 22 themselves, ending the game with a score line of 95 – 82.
The Clippers continue to chase down the third spot in the Western Conference which is currently occupied by the Los Angeles Lakers.
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