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The Minnesota Timberwolves continue their early-season homestand as they welcome the LA Clippers to the Target Center on Wednesday. The Clippers are looking for consecutive wins for the first time this season while the Timberwolves will try to end a two-game losing streak.
The LA Clippers are coming off their second win of the season on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. LA had another tough time shooting, but they dug in to get a much-needed win. The Clippers have also proven in last year's playoffs that they can win games without Kawhi Leonard.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are on a two-game losing streak and both defeats have come at home. They lost a close game to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday and followed it up with a stinker of a performance against the Orlando Magic last Monday.
Match Details
Fixture: LA Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 3rd, 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, November 4th, 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN.
LA Clippers Preview
The LA Clippers have struggled to get going this season. They have a record of 2-4 entering Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Clippers' main problem has been shooting the ball, with only Paul George displaying some consistency in the team.
In the 99-94 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the LA Clippers shot just 38.0% from the field. Despite their poor shooting, five players were in double figures, led by George with 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. George told the media after the game that their defense was key to winning and their offense will eventually get better as the season progresses.
“Our team was playing good defense. We were holding them. We were getting stops, so we couldn't finish with empty possessions. We had to stay confident that shots were going to fall,” George said.
Key Player – Paul George
Paul George has played superbly for the LA Clippers this season. George is putting up insane numbers and looks set to have the best season of this career. He is currently averaging 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.3 steals per game this season.
Without the injured Kawhi Leonard, George has been tasked with carrying the LA Clippers to the playoffs alongside team-mates such as Eric Bledsoe, Terance Mann and Nicolas Batum. The Clippers are hoping that Leonard will be ready for the playoffs, so that they can pursue their first NBA championship.
In the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, George must continue in the same vein as he has done so far to give the Clippers a chance of winning. The rest of the LA Clippers should also show more consistency in both offense and defense.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
G - Reggie Jackson | G - Eric Bledsoe | F - Paul George | F - Nicolas Batum | C - Ivica Zubac.
Minnesota Timberwolves Preview
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a good start to the season, going 3-1 before entering a four-game homestand. However, they lost two straight games at home and they need to bounce back to boost the team's morale.
In the 115-97 defeat to the Orlando Magic, the Timberwolves kept the game close in the first three quarters. The Magic eventually pulled away in the final quarter, with Minnesota allowing 43 points. They ended up just scoring 19 points in the fourth essay, with D'Angelo Russell's injury making it worse.
Russell suffered a sprained ankle in the first half and did not return to the game in the second half. He is expected to miss a couple of games and the Timberwolves will have to cope in his absence since the LA Clippers are not an easy matchup.
Key Player – Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been outstanding this season. He is averaging 24.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists. 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
In the loss to the Magic, Towns put up 23 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and two steals. After the game, the young center told the media that the reason they lost was they got too comfortable in the fourth quarter and the Magic just took advantage of it by making shots.
"We just got too comfortable. I think that when we got comfortable, too, is just a perfect storm. It's kind of one of those things when we let our offense because of the shots just not falling and how good the looks were kind of beat the confidence out of us defensively and just made some mistakes. Even when they were tough, they made some shots," Towns said.
Minnesota Timberwolves Predicted Lineup
G - Patrick Beverley | G - Anthony Edwards | F - Jarred Vanderbilt | F - Jaden McDaniels | C - Karl-Anthony Towns.
Clippers vs Timberwolves Match Prediction
The LA Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves matchup on Wednesday appears even on paper, with both teams nursing injuries. The Clippers are still trying to find their rhythm without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, while the Timberwolves are likely to start their second-string point guard.
Nevertheless, Minnesota have homecourt advantage so they are likely to pick up a win in this game.
Where to watch Clippers vs Timberwolves?
The LA Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game will air live on the NBA League Pass. Meanwhile, local fans can also watch the game at Bally Sports North in Minnesota and Bally Sports SoCal in Los Angeles.
