Clippers cruise past Timberwolves, 104-84, After Coming Back From 20-Point Deficit
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Paul George had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-84 on Friday night.
Ivica Zubac had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Los Angeles, which also won at Minnesota on Wednesday night. The Clippers have won three straight after losing four of their first five.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points and Anthony Edwards added 17 for the Timberwolves, who have lost five of six. Malik Beasley finished with 18 points off the bench for Minnesota, which shot 35.2% from the field and had 22 turnovers.
Minnesota was much more active defensively in its rematch with the Clippers, who in the teams' first meeting shot a season-high 60.3% from the field and converted a season-high 21 3-pointers. Los Angeles shot 39.5% in the first half Friday and 41.4% for the game.
The Clippers went over five minutes without a field goal in the second quarter, and the Timberwolves used a 14-2 run capped by a pair of 3s by Beasley for a game-high, 20-point advantage.
But Minnesota's shooting waned in the third as the offense became stagnant and reliant on quick 3s early in possessions. The T'Wolves' defense also slipped, opening the door for LA.
Jackson was the catalyst as the Clippers used a 10-0 run in the third to take their first lead since scoring the first three points of the game.
Beasley again sparked the T'Wolves. He hit back-to-back 3s to bring Minnesota within 68-67. Edwards made a 3 to cap an 11-2 run that put the T'Wolves back in front, but LA followed with 15 points in a row.
Minnesota scored 15 points in the third on 5-of-21 shooting.
Marcus Morris missed his sixth straight game with left knee injury maintenance. ... Los Angeles held a 61-42 advantage in rebounds. The 61 rebounds were a season high.
D'Angelo Russell missed his second straight game with a right ankle sprain. ... All five losses for Minnesota during its 1-5 stretch have been at home. ... All of Beasley's points came from beyond the arc as he shot 6 of 15 from 3. ... Towns has scored in double figures in 169 straight games, the longest streak by a center since Shaquille O'Neal had a 245-game streak from 1995-99, according to Stats Perform.
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