The Clippers are coming off a huge win over the NBA-best Celtics and look to keep that momentum going at home against the Timberwolves.
Game Information
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
When: 7:00 PM PT
How to Watch: ESP Bally Sports SoCal
Projected Starting Lineups
Timberwolves: D’Angelo Russell (GTD) – Anthony Edwards – Jaden McDaniels – Kyle Anderson – Rudy Gobert
Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Timberwolves: D’Angelo Russell GTD (knee); Jordan McLaughlin Out (calf); Taurean Prince Out (shoulder); Karl-Anthony Towns Out (calf)
Clippers: Norman Powell Out (Groin), Moussa Diabate Out (G-League), John Wall Out (Load Management)
The Big Picture
The Clippers had their biggest win of the season to date on Monday night, decimating the Boston Celtics, who have the best record in the NBA. The best news for the Clippers faithful in that win was a stellar performance from Kawhi Leonard, with what may have been his best outing of the year with 25 points on 10 of 12 shooting from the field. Definitely an encouraging sign, bolstered by strong play from Paul George, Marcus Morris, and Terance Mann. The Clippers may be on the precipice of showing what they can really accomplish with a full squad; the only player currently injured is Norm Powell (groin), who has been reportedly practicing so he could be joining the lineup soon.
The Antagonist
The Timberwolves are in a rough spot, having lost 7 of their last 10 games, which started with a November 28 injury to their perennial star Karl-Anthony Towns. Although they were off to a strong start and were pegged by many to be a potential Western Conference threat, the Timberwolves are currently below .500 at 13-14.
The Timberwolves currently sit at the 11-seed in a tightly packed Western Conference, with plenty of time to bounce back when their all-NBA big man Towns returns from injury. D’Angelo Russell had a slow start, but has been very solid the past few weeks and has now improved to a strong 55% field goal rate, with 48% from mid-range and 36% from deep. They have struggled defensively, which is somewhat surprising given that due to their big off-season move, their lineup features three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Anthony Edwards has recently been showing his skills defensively, racking up steals and deflections at an elite level.
Notes
Play-in Spoilers: The Clippers will likely be ready to roll in this first regular-season match up with the team that helped to dash their post-season plans in the 2022 play-in tournament. Riding high on the Celtics win, and seeking a little revenge for the play-in loss, it can be expected that the Clippers team and fans will be coming into this game with the full home court advantage.
The Gobert Factor: Although there is no disputing the impact of Rudy Gobert defensively throughout his career, the Clippers have faced him multiple times in several post-season matchups when he was with the Utah Jazz and know his strengths and weaknesses well. Ivica Zubac has been nothing short of amazing for the Clippers this season, and should provide another remarkable performance tonight facing down Gobert and the Timberwolves.
