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Timberwolves-Clippers Preview
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Clippers
- The Timberwolves won three of four games versus the Clippers in 2011-12, including both meetings at Staples Center.
- Minnesota broke a five-game losing streak last night with 97-89 victory at Sacramento. All five Minnesota starters scored in double figures and Kevin Love had 23 points and 24 rebounds.
- During the Timberwolves' first nine games of the season, they outscored their opponents in second-chance points by an average of 13.4 -- 13.0. Since Kevin Love's return on November 21, in the last four games they have outscored their opponents in second-chance points 18.3 -- 12.3.
- The Clippers have lost four in a row after an 8-2 start to the season. The Clippers lost 105-98 at home to the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night despite Caron Bulter making a franchise-record nine three-pointers on his way to a 33-point effort.
- Kevin Love's 23 point/24 rebound performance on Tuesday was his 15th 20/20 game since the beginning of the 2010-11 season -- tied most in the NBA (Dwight Howard).
- Blake Griffin was held to a career-low four points on Monday versus the Hornets on 1-for-9 shooting from the field. Griffin had scored at least 11 points in his first 81 career home games before the four-point effort on Monday.
By JEFF BARTL
(AP) -- The Los Angeles Clippers are blaming their defense for their current struggles, and those complaints likely will continue if they can't slow down Kevin Love.
Los Angeles will get some help at the defensive end Wednesday night with the long-awaited return of point guard Chauncey Billups, who will try to help his team avoid a fifth consecutive loss in a home matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Clippers (8-6) gave up an average of 86.2 points during a six-game winning streak from Nov. 7-19, but they've allowed 103.0 per game during their current four-game skid.
They fell 105-98 on Monday to a New Orleans team that ranks near the bottom of the Western Conference in scoring.
"Our defense was terrible. It's almost embarrassing," said point guard Chris Paul, who finished with 20 points, eight assists and four steals. "Teams feel like they can come down and score on us every night. Guys can't look in our eyes and feel like they can get by us. We have to take more pride in our play."
Understandably, defense was the main focus of coach Vinny Del Negro's practice Tuesday.
"Our defense has to create our offense, which it was doing earlier in the season and we've got to do a better job with that - locking in defensively, having a more physical presence in the paint and on the perimeter," Del Negro told the team's official website. "If we do that, it will make the game easier. We'll get out in the open court and make the game smoother for us."
Billups, a tough defender, could help set the tone for better play at the Clippers' end of the floor. The 16-year veteran played in 20 games last season before tearing his left Achilles' tendon Feb. 6. He averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds.
Monday's defeat overshadowed a strong offensive effort as the Clippers hit a franchise-record 18 3-pointers. Caron Butler set a team mark by hitting nine while scoring a game-high 33 points - his most since he had 39 while playing for Washington against Boston on April 15, 2009.
Forward Blake Griffin, though, shouldered the blame after one of his worst performances, shooting 1 for 9 and scoring a career-low four points before fouling out late.
"I just missed shots. It's on me," Griffin said. "It's not because of our offense. It's not anybody else's fault. It's my fault. I had open shots, I had post-ups - I mean, I shot the ball nine times. I just missed them."
Griffin is averaging 25.3 points and 10.6 rebounds in eight career games against Minnesota, scoring 19 points and adding 13 boards in a 95-82 victory in the last meeting April 12.
The Timberwolves, though, played that contest without an injured Love, who also missed the first nine games of this season. He's averaging 24.0 points and 16.5 rebounds in four games since making his season debut Nov. 21.
Love had 23 points and 24 rebounds at Sacramento on Tuesday, helping lead Minnesota (6-7) to a 97-89 victory that ended a five-game losing streak.
"I knew he got a lot of rebounds, but I didn't know how many," coach Rick Adelman said. "It was one of the most complete games I've seen him play. He wasn't forcing anything. He passed the ball. He set screens. He did whatever we needed."
The Wolves have beaten the Clippers the last three times they've had Love, who totaled 39 points and 17 rebounds in a 95-94 win the last time he faced them March 5.
The streak began Jan. 20, when Love hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Minnesota a 101-98 victory at Staples Center.
Updated November 28, 2012
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