Clippers collapse in late-stage surge to Timberwolves on the road

MINNESOTA – Facing another short-handed opponent yielded a similar result for the Los Angeles Clippers as they surrendered a late-stage lapse once again, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-101 at the Target Center on Friday to begin Emirates NBA Cup West Group B Play. 

The last time these two teams faced off back on March 11 at the Intuit Dome the Clippers tamed the Timberwolves, scoring a season-high 153 points in their 153-128 victory. More importantly, that victory put them above .500 for the first time since Oct. 31, becoming the only team in NBA history to go above .500 after falling 15 games below that mark in the same season.

This time around however yielded a much different result. After a sluggish first quarter and a poor finish to the first half, the Clippers could only cut the deficit down to as many as eight on two separate occasions in the second half. 

After trimming it down to eight points the second time following an 11-0 run into the early part of the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves then proceeded to hound the Clippers. Going on an unreal 23-2 run in just nearly the next six minutes, the Timberwolves put the game to bed.

This victory for the Timberwolves marks their first without their two-guard Anthony Edwards. The four-time All-Star and All-NBA selection missed his second consecutive game after successfully undergoing a debridement procedure on his right knee on Thursday that is expected to sideline him for at least two months. 

Down their ailing leader, the Timberwolves turned to their next All-Star who balled out down the stretch. Guard LaMelo Ball finished with 24 points on 9-for-20 shooting from the floor but went 6-for-15 from deep, nailing three triples in under a two-minute stretch in the fourth quarter during their massive run. 

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Oct 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball (1) celebrates with fans after making a three-point shot against the LA Clippers in the second half at Target Center.

While both squads are second in the Association with a 39.2% clip from beyond the arc, the sheer volume has been the difference. The Timberwolves, who finished 18-for-43 from deep, have now made at least 15 triples in four of their five contests this season and now lead the league with 16.0 made three-pointers a game. 

For the Clippers, guard Darius Garland led the squad with 24 points on 10-for-22 shooting with an impressive 4-for-8 from deep, including a pair in the early stages of the third quarter. Yet, it was Timberwolves backup guard Jaylen Clark that applied the pressure on Garland, where he would turn it over five times to add on to his league-leading 5.6 turnovers a game. 

While three other starters finished in double figures, none had more than 12 points with Rui Hachimura collecting that total after missing the previous game against the Lakers Wednesday with left quad soreness.

Off the bench, backup center Brook Lopez put up 13 points with six rebounds while rookie guard Keaton Wagler continued his double-digit streak with 12 points. Despite a poor 2-for-11 shooting from the floor, the rookie sensation went 7-for-8 at the line and has made at least three trips to the charity stripe in his last four games. 

Proving to be a reliable second option for the Timberwolves, guard Jayden McDaniels dropped 23 points on an extremely efficient 11-for-15 from the floor. He also had six rebounds and seven assists, while collecting his first steal of the season as well. Off the bench, Bones Hyland put up 19 points and dished out eight assists. 

Suffering their second-largest margin of defeat ever at the Target Center, the Clippers are now on a four-game skid after a promising opening night victory against the Sacramento Kings. 

The Clippers will try to salvage something and end their losing streak in their next game on Sunday at Golden State. 

Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.