Clippers at Cavaliers
The Los Angeles Clippers saw a three-game winning streak come to an end in spectacular fashion Saturday night in Minnesota. The Clippers will try to bounce back quickly from one of their most lopsided setbacks of the season when they continue a four-game road trip at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
The Timberwolves shot 54.7 percent from the floor while making a franchise-record 26 3-pointers and handing out 39 assists - a high for a Los Angeles opponent this season - in the 142-115 victory over the Clippers. "We showed up. We shouldn't have come," coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "That was awful. Awful effort. They outplayed us. They played harder. They were aggressive. They deserved to win." The Cavaliers' latest losing streak is at five games following a 109-103 loss at Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Newly acquired center Andre Drummond, the NBA's top rebounder with 15.8 per game, will make his debut with Cleveland following a trade from Detroit prior to Thursday's deadline.
TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: Prime Ticket, FS Ohio, TSN
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (36-16): Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points and Paul George added 21 in Saturday's loss, while their fellow starters combined for a total of 15. Leonard is expected to sit Sunday as he continues to rest in the second half of back-to-backs, while George will be aiming to play in two games in two days for the first time since before Christmas. The team is hoping to have newly acquired forward Marcus Morris Sr. available for his debut with the squad following Thursday's trade with the New York Knicks.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (13-39): Drummond will be joining a team that has lost 12 of its last 13 after committing 20 turnovers in the loss to the Thunder. "Executing," forward Kevin Love told reporters after scoring 20 points in the loss. "That's our next evolution, is to keep trending that way. And then I believe on the defensive end, just really getting our coverages down. We had some slip-ups tonight where we're kind of looking at each other talking about the game plan, and we just need to make sure that we lock in on that 100 percent." Collin Sexton had a team-high 23 points in the defeat, his sixth straight game with at least that many points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Clippers waived G Isaiah Thomas two days after acquiring him from Washington in a three-team trade.
2. Cavaliers C Tristan Thompson is expected back after missing the last two games with a quadriceps injury.
3. Leonard had 43 points in a 128-103 win over Cleveland at home Jan. 14.