Clippers 127, Timberwolves 101
J.J. Redick and Blake Griffin scored 23 points apiece as Los Angeles rolled on with the sizable win against visiting Minnesota.
Chris Paul added 12 points and eight assists while DeAndre Jordan contributed 11 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots for the Clippers, who began replacing their starters with just over three minutes left in the third quarter. Spencer Hawes matched his season high with 14 points to pace the reserves for Los Angeles, which has won five in a row coming off a 6-1 road trip.
Shabazz Muhammad, coming off a career-high 28 points in Sunday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, scored a team-high 18 points off the bench and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for Minnesota. Andrew Wiggins led the starters with 14 points.
Redick scored 13 points in the first five minutes and Minnesota starters Thaddeus Young and Corey Brewer each got into early foul trouble but the Timberwolves still managed to get out of the opening quarter with a three-point lead. Muhammad converted a three-point play in the opening minute of the second quarter to give the Timberwolves their biggest lead at 37-31, but the Los Angeles reserves came back with a 17-2 run to give the Clippers the advantage.
The starters then began checking back in for Los Angeles and they continued to move further ahead, taking the Clippers into the break with a 65-50 edge. The lead continued to balloon throughout the third quarter as the Clippers won the period 36-18 to go up by 33.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Timberwolves haven’t made the playoffs since 2004, the longest active drought in the NBA. … The Clippers are 8-0 in the last two seasons when Redick scores at least 20 points. … New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was in attendance. The Patriots play at the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.