Minnesota Timberwolves against Los Angeles Clippers
Date: December 4, 2024
Time: 9:30 p.m. CST
Location: Intuit Dome
TV coverage: NBA TV/FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio reporting: Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Wolves head to Los Angeles in search of a SoCal sweep: Can they keep the momentum going?

For the first time in franchise history, the Timberwolves visit the Intuit Dome. Your mission? Complete a flawless swing in three games against Los Angeles opponents. It’s been a rollercoaster ride lately, but after a four-game losing streak and back-to-back wins against the Clippers and Lakers, the Wolves have battled back to .500 at 10-10.

It’s a nice reset for sure. But as we all know, “.500” is like the middle seat on a plane – it’s fine, but no one is happy about it. The question now is whether this team can finally build some consistency or whether the ups and downs will continue to define their season.

Clippers flashback: A nail-biter at Target Center

Let’s rewind four days. The Wolves picked up a one-point win over the Clippers at home, breaking out the tie and giving fans reason to cheer heading into Thanksgiving weekend. But here’s the thing: Don’t expect LA to roll over when Minnesota gets on their turf. The Clippers probably left Target Center thinking they should have had this game, especially after the Wolves basically gave them the ball 22 times (seriously, turnovers are Minnesota’s love language).

This rematch will be about LA pride. Norman Powell, their leading scorer, is expected to feature this time around and inflict even more damage on a team already licking its wounds. On the other hand, Kawhi Leonard is left out, so Minnesota avoids the loaded Clippers – but let’s not pretend this play is a layup. Powell’s return alone could flip the script.

Monday Night Blowout: Revenge on the Lakers

Monday’s 29-point win over the Lakers was… therapeutic. After Anthony Davis dropped 36 points on the Wolves in the season opener while looking like Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet, Minnesota finally got revenge. Rudy Gobert, in particular, had a mission – he threw down dunks, stole the ball for the breakaways and showed why the Wolves had given up a mountain of strengths to get him.

Of course we don’t want to crown the Wolves yet. The Lakers were coming off a run-in with a red-eye from Utah, and LeBron seemed more interested in a postgame nap than a fourth-quarter comeback. But hey, a win is a win, and Minnesota desperately needed this win.

Positive things to build on

What stood out over the last two games was the energy and aggressiveness of some of Wolves’ key players.

• Naz Reid’s hustle plays were crucial to the Clippers’ victory.
• Gobert’s inner dominance made the Lakers look like they had forgotten how to defend the paint.
• Julius RandleWhile he still had his occasional defensive lapses (cue the statue memes), showed flashes of the offensive faceoff ball the Wolves need from him.
• Donte DiVincenzo He finally started throwing punches, which felt like he was discovering Bigfoot after weeks of disappointment.

The Wolves played with intention, and they need to take that with them on this road trip.

Key to Clippers rematch

The Wolves have to clean up when they lose the ball. There were 22 points up for grabs in Friday’s game and if the Wolves can limit their mistakes it should go a long way towards winning this game.

Defensively, it’s all about the guards. Powell and James Harden will test Minnesota’s perimeter defense, and the Wolves’ wings – Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker – must be up to the challenge.

Keep the ball moving on offense. When Minnesota plays iso-heavy basketball, the offense stalls faster than your Wi-Fi when everyone is streaming at the same time. Their path to success is to get contributions from Gobert, Randle and Reed while letting Edwards cook from the perimeter.

What is at stake

It’s been a wild first quarter of the season, but this three-game trip to California is a big chance for Minnesota to turn things around. After the Clippers game, they face two straight games against the Warriors – a team they must beat if they want to climb the Western Conference ladder.

There is no room for overconfidence. Sure, the Wolves beat the Lakers and edged out the Clippers, but this is a team that still hasn’t proven it can be consistently successful. If they start looking ahead to Golden State instead of focusing on the task at hand, they could be back under .500 by the end of the night.

Final thoughts

Minnesota’s season has been mixed so far, but they’re still in the thick of things. With a record of 10-10, they are just a few games out of the top six in the West. The potential is there and Monday’s win showed what this team can become if they play with energy and cohesion.

Now it’s about maintaining it. If they can eliminate the turnovers, keep their defensive intensity high and avoid the mental mistakes that have plagued them all season, this could be the start of a much-needed turnaround. But it all starts tomorrow night at the Intuit Dome. Let’s see if they’re up to the challenge.