INGLEWOOD, Calif. — When you don’t have your best player, it’s always going to be an uphill battle.
But somehow, some way, the Los Angeles Clippers were able to stay toe-to-toe with the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Kawhi Leonard sidelined. The T-Wolves took a 94-88 win thanks to 31 points and a clutch 3-pointer from Anthony Edwards.
Darius Garland and John Collins were also inactive for the Clippers.
The loss marked LA’s fifth-straight game in clutch time, but also its third loss in a row. Bennedict Mathurin — who made his first start as a Clipper — struggled to score consistently. Derrick Jones Jr. carried the load for the Clippers with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough.
LA shot 5-of-22 from distance and gave away the ball 19 times. Both of these factors ultimately defined the tough loss.
The Clippers will return to action on Sunday to face the New Orleans Pelicans. Reporter Kasey Kazliner covered Thursday’s bout and analyzed the action on Unclipped, TOT’s Clippers podcast. Listen below!