Timberwolves surge previous Clippers in NBA play-in in the encourage of Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell combined for 59 points to succor the Minnesota Timberwolves overcome a tough night for Karl-Anthony Towns and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109–104 in a play-in game on Tuesday night.
Edwards scored 30 points with five three-pointers and Russell had 29 points and six assists to send the Wolves to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and a first-spherical matchup with Memphis.
Paul George done with 34 points after shooting 2 for 10 in the first half of for the Clippers, who’ve a 2nd probability to rep the playoffs with a home game on Friday for the No. 8 seed in opposition to either Recent Orleans or San Antonio. Reggie Jackson (17 points) and Norman Powell (16 points) did their fragment in stretches, however the Clippers failed to assign the Timberwolves away when they had been struggling thru the first half of.
Towns had perfect 11 points on 3-for-11 shooting and fouled out halfway thru the fourth quarter, but his sidekicks had been larger than as much as the problem.
Jackson’s three-pointer gave the Clippers their perfect lead of the game at 93–83 with 8: 54 final, but about 4 minutes later Russell knocked down the mosey-forward three-pointer for a 97–95 succor the Wolves by no manner relinquished. He saluted the crowd for the punctuation. Edwards adopted with a tomahawk dunk after blowing by Powell on the tip of the predominant.
The followers had been fired up for this fleet-paced, fleet-making improvements to crew that’s headed to the playoffs for the 2nd time in 17 years, however the buzz wore off reasonably in the third quarter while George came all over his groove with a soft 15 points.
Then Towns fouled out with 7: 34 to mosey, no longer as much as two minutes after he had correct checked encourage in.
The Clippers have performed all season with out huge title Kawhi Leonard while he recovers from a repaired ACL for the harm he suffered in the 2nd spherical of the playoffs final year, however the brand new return of George and Powell from their prolonged-term injuries have helped them attain nearer to their originate of ultimate summer season when they reached the Western Conference finals. Powell, in a wisely-organized-sub role, became as soon as a trade-point in time acquisition from Portland.
The Clippers had success disrupting Towns all around the usual season when they won three of the four matchups, shedding perfect in January when George became as soon as out, and they also spared no energy attacking the two-time All-Star heart from every which formula. Nicolas Batum became as soon as his predominant tormentor, but a variety of the Clippers had a hand in it.
Towns failed to rep a basket in the first half of for the first time in larger than three years, an 0-for-7 clunker. His perfect points came on a pair of free throws, and he flashed a sarcastic smile and pumped his first after getting that resolution.
STICKING WITH IT
The Wolves trailed 45–38 when Towns exited alongside with his fourth corrupt with 3: 48 left sooner than halftime, but there became as soon as a extend no longer as much as a minute later after a girl from the crowd sneaked onto the court all over a unnecessary ball on the different cease. Staging an animal rights assert, she glued her hand to the hardwood alongside the baseline and sprawled out sooner than safety became as soon as in a map to pry her away.
The Timberwolves took perfect thing in regards to the prolonged discontinue. Russell hit two mid-vary floaters and a 3-pointer over the balance of the half of to succor stake them to a 53-51 lead on the spoil.
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BEVERLEY ILLS
The most central pick on this matchup can had been Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley, the relentless defender and ace agitator who spent the final four seasons with the Clippers.
The NBA presented a $25,000 excellent for Beverley quickly sooner than tipoff for his “corrupt habits” in Minnesota’s final game in direction of referee David Guthrie, at whom he yelled, “You’re trash!” on his formula off the court following his ejection for a 2nd technical corrupt.
Beverley picked up a technical in the third quarter of this game after tussling with Marcus Morris Sr. Beverley hit an off-balance three-pointer on the shot-clock buzzer later in the period, but that crowd-pleaser became as soon as later erased by replay evaluation because of it came a crop up-2nd too slack.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Backup guard Luke Kennard, their fifth-main scorer, stayed home because of of a hamstring harm.
Timberwolves: Backup forward Taurean Prince became as soon as out with a swollen knee.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Host the San Antonio-Recent Orleans winner on Friday night. The Spurs play on the Pelicans on Wednesday night in an elimination game.
Timberwolves: Game 1 in Memphis is on Saturday afternoon.
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