Minnesota @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 13, 2019 ) L.A. Clippers 124, Minnesota 117

The Los Angeles Clippers look to bounce back from a shoddy showing when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday afternoon. The Clippers had their Tuesday game against the Los Angeles Lakers postponed due to the death of Kobe Bryant and then looked listless during Thursday's 124-103 home loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Star small forward Kawhi Leonard (back) missed the game against the Kings and is hopeful of playing Saturday before heading two hours south to have his college number retired by San Diego State. Leonard has a streak of eight straight 30-point efforts, which is three shy of the franchise mark held by Lloyd Free (1979-80 season) during the club's San Diego era. Minnesota has dropped 10 straight games, its second-longest skid of the season behind an 11-gamer in December. The Timberwolves haven't played since Monday, when they blew a 27-point, third-quarter lead and a 17-point advantage with 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation en route to a disheartening 133-129 overtime loss to the visiting Sacramento Kings.

TIME: 3:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS North, Prime Ticket, TSN3

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (15-32): Minnesota has experienced a dreadful campaign and reached a new low with the collapse against the Kings, another team forecasted to miss the playoffs. "No matter what, we should be able to play with a 15-point lead with a couple minutes left," Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders told reporters. "They made shots. We didn't execute our defensive game plan. We didn't get rebounds when we needed to. We didn't make the needed plays." Small forward Andrew Wiggins recorded 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists against the Kings and topped 20 points in four consecutive games.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (33-15): Forward Paul George (hamstring) returned from a nine-game absence but was rusty against the Kings and had just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting in 19 minutes. George, a six-time All-Star, is averaging 22.9 points and 5.9 rebounds but was passed over for the All-Star team due to playing in only 27 of his team's 48 games and neither he nor coach Doc Rivers were bothered by it. "He clearly is an All-Star player, we all know that, but when you don’t play games, you don’t make the All-Star team," Rivers told reporters. "I’ve always thought that was the right thing to do. It gives someone else a chance. Paul will be back on next year if he’s healthy.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Clippers won three of the past four meetings, including a 124-117 road victory on Dec. 13.

2. Minnesota C Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 31.6 points over the past five games.

3. Los Angeles PG Patrick Beverley (groin) had 11 points against Sacramento after sitting out the previous three contests.

PREDICTION: Clippers 121, Timberwolves 107