The LA Clippers continue a six-game road trip with a visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. The Clippers have gone 3-1 on the trip so far, winning three straight, while the Timberwolves come into the game having dropped six in a row.
It really hasn’t mattered who has played for Los Angeles this year or who has been healthy, as it has been a tough team to slow down. The Clippers do sit a few games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division, but at 19-7, they are elite in their own right. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have both been great fits, and once Landry Shamet comes back, they will have a completely healthy lineup. Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams continue to shine off the bench, and the Clippers look to hand Minnesota a seventh straight loss.
The Timberwolves are in the midst of a long skid and have not won any games for the past few weeks. Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns are doing their thing, but the Timberwolves’ defense has been the issue. They rank 27th in points allowed and have not been able to get any stops. Minnesota has even been getting a lot of production from Jeff Teague off the bench, while the starting lineup with Josh Okogie and Jarrett Culver has started to take shape. We’ll see if the Timberwolves can impress the home fans with a victory over an elite team in this one.
The Clippers are set as 5.5-point favorites Friday night, with the over/under set at 230.5. The moneyline on Los Angeles is -245, while it is +195 for Minnesota.
Clippers Look For No. 20
The Clippers score the sixth-most points in the league while ranking 12th in points allowed. Patrick Beverley has continued to be the leader of the defense, with Leonard and George dominating defensively on the perimeter. Ivica Zubac has not been getting too many minutes, but he has been solid when he has played the 5. And though his playing time has also been inconsistent, Moe Harkless has proven to be a fantastic addition to these Clippers. Los Angeles still has the best 1-2 punch of any bench duo in the league, and it will look to keep that rolling. Harrell and Williams cannot both be slowed on a given night, making this team even tougher to beat.
Come playoff time, the Clippers should be able to figure things out. They have elite talent at all five spots, and if they manage to add a veteran like Andre Iguodala, watch out.
Minnesota Trying To Snap Out Of It
A long losing streak has negatively affected the Timberwolves and has them four games below .500. When Jake Layman eventually returns, he should provide them with a spark off the bench as he did early in the year. Culver continues to learn the NBA game and the point guard spot, but he will surely get better with time. Robert Covington has been solid but is not a guy that has changed the outcome of too many games this season. A lot of things need to improve for them to get going, so let’s see what happens in this one.
Wiggins and Towns will both have to go off against the Clippers for Minnesota to have a shot. But it’s not an impossibility.
Minnesota Plays It Close
The way to bet this one is taking Minnesota and getting the 5.5 points. It will be a more exciting game than expected.
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