Clippers to continue quest for success vs Timberwolves
The Los Angeles Clippers play the Minnesota Timberwolves later today at 8 PM EST 5 PM PT. Tonight’s game is the first game of a back to back on the road; tomorrow’s game is in Memphis.
The season series between the Clippers (38-25) and the Timberwolves (25-37) is tied 1-1. Our first matchup was during the Clippers’ coveted 14-2 run, so you can imagine how that game went. All players were healthy and in rhythm, and flourishing on both ends of the floor. The second matchup was played while Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were both off the floor, and the Clippers fell by 3 points despite an all around effort from the players.
Here are the Clipper’s keys to success for tonight’s game in Minneapolis:
Get back to playing Clipper basketball
On Monday’s game against the Boston Celtics, we finally got a taste of the Clippers’ basketball that was played during the 14-2 run in the beginning of the season. Sparked by Jamal Crawford‘s aggressiveness, the Clippers’ bench along with DeAndre Jordan finally started playing again like the elite team they are.
Ever since CP3 returned back to the lineup on February 24 against the Spurs, the Clippers have had trouble rekindling what they had at the start of the season. It’s been nearly 4 months since the team has played the cohesive, exciting, and lethal Clipper basketball that they are capable of, and they should be looking at today’s game as an opportunity to get back into the full swing of things.
Because it has been so long since everyone has been healthy, the on-floor chemistry took a major hit. The team was so used to playing a different way, without the floor general leading them. They sort of had to reintroduce themselves to playing with Chris and Blake in the lineup.
Miscommunication on offense and lapses on defense have been too common in the Clippers’ last few games, but things started to change Monday night. Given, the majority of our games since the All Star break have been against top 3 seed teams in their respective conferences. Tonight’s game against the Timberwolves is a good opportunity to get things back on track, and hopefully go on a run to end the season in the 4 spot.
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DeAndre needs to dominate
Playing against one of the NBA’s brightest young stars, Karl Anthony Towns is no easy task. In the Clippers’ last matchup against the young team, DeAndre had a career night, posting a career high 29 points alongside 16 rebounds and two blocks. It’s gonna take some serious defense to contain Towns, but it’s something NBA All-Star, 1st team All-Defense and All-NBA player DeAndre Jordan is totally capable of.
Things seem to go right when DJ gets touches on the offensive end, so that’s one thing they can do to get back to playing Clippers’ basketball. Whether it’s just lobs or easy layups or even the occasional post up, DeAndre’s offense often sets the tone and pace of games, and his high energy is contagious.
Usually, how well DJ plays in a games is an indicator of how the team played as a whole. Getting DeAndre involved is a major key for success for this team.
The outcome?
As long as the Clippers play at at least the same level they played at in Monday’s win against Boston, this should be an easy win for them. (Ideally, they need to build off of that win to get back to full form.) Despite the fact that they’re on the road, this should be one of the Clippers’ easier games to conquer down the stretch of the season. That 4th seed will not be getting itself.
Their hardest task will be containing Andrew Wiggins and Towns, but it’s nothing defensive specialists DJ and Luc Mbah a Moute can’t handle. This is the first game of a back to back on the road, so getting things done as efficiently and effortlessly as possible will be paramount.