Timberwolves vs. Clippers Game Preview: Kawhi returns to Edwards

Minnesota Timberwolves against the Los Angeles Clippers
Date: 6 January 2025
Time: 19:00 CST
Location: Target center
TV coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio coverage: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

The Wolves look to shake off the Detroit disaster against the Clippers at Target Center

If you’re still trying to recover from Saturday’s debacle mod Detroit Pistonstake a moment to breathe. The Minnesota Timberwolves need more than just a deep breath to bounce back from one of their most frustrating defensive performances of the season. Next? The recently returned Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. A team that the Wolves have already beaten twice this year. But here’s the catch: After three straight losses and an epic Anthony Edwards performance wasted, this one feels decisive. Like, “Do we believe in this team or not?” crucial.

Detroit Déjà Vu: A New Low

Let’s rip off the Band-Aid quickly: Saturday’s game was embarrassing. The Wolves were roasted low, diced from beyond the arc and turned into defensive statues, while Detroit—Detroit!– ran set-up exercises. And this wasn’t the Pistons of the mid-2000s, with Ben Wallace throwing elbows and Rip Hamilton draining midrange daggers. This is the Pistons team sitting under .500 for the second night of a back-to-back, yet they turned Minnesota into the Washington Generals for a night.

Anthony Edwards put one ridiculous 53 points. Fifty three! And somehow it felt irrelevant because the rest of the team might as well have stayed on the bus. Rudy Gobert? Invisible. Julius Randle? Interrupted. The wings? Late to every finish, like they were caught in a Minnesota blizzard.

It was the type of loss that makes you question everything. The type of loss that evokes memories of those nights in the early 2010s when Ricky Rubio’s only help was Nikola Peković and a prayer. But here’s the thing: The Wolves have the talent to be so much better. And the Clippers game represents an opportunity to prove it.

Clippers at Target Center: A Must-Win Matchup

The Clippers roll into town with their own track record of up-and-down games. They don’t exactly set the world on fire. That said, the Clippers are dangerous – they have the potential for offensive explosion, and if you don’t bring that defensive intensity, they’ll bury you. The Wolves have already taken two games from the Clippers this season. But as we’ve seen time and time again, this team doesn’t handle success well. They become complacent. So what must they do to turn the page after the Detroit disaster?

Keys to the game

1. Defense, Defense, Defense

Defense is supposed to be this team’s identity. Where was it last Saturday? The Wolves allowed Detroit to waltz into the paint uncontested. Gobert needs to step up and assert his presence down low – no more free rebounds, no more easy layups. He’s being paid to anchor this defense, and it’s time to see that happen consistently.

The Clippers can score in a hurry, and if Minnesota isn’t locked into shutting out shooters, it’s going to be another long night. The wings – Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and even Ant – must bring the intensity, stay glued to the perimeter and deny LA’s shooters room to operate.

2. Spread the offensive load

Anthony Edwards cannot drop another 50 pieces only to see the wolves lose. It’s criminal. Julius Randle needs to step up and bring his bully ball back to the paint. Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and the bench mob will all contribute. The Wolves are at their best when the ball is moving and everyone is involved – when it doesn’t turn into “give the ball to Ant and hope for the best.”

The Clippers’ defense is manageable, especially if the Wolves can push the tempo and create mismatches in transition. But if the offense develops into an isolation-heavy hero ball, it will be another ugly one.

3. Control the glass

Detroit dominated Minnesota on the boards and that can’t happen again. The Clippers don’t have a dominant rebounder, but they are scrappy. Gobert and Randle need to hit the glass together with authority and everyone else needs to box out. Second chance points have been a killer for the Wolves all season and they need to start limiting them.

4. Energy and effort

This sounds obvious, but it hasn’t been a given for this team. The Wolves need to play with urgency from the opening tip, not wait until they are down by double digits to wake up. Every possession matters in a tight Western Conference, and Minnesota can’t afford to take more nights off.

The bigger picture

The Wolves are insanely inconsistent. They have to play three good quarters against Oklahoma City and Boston and then lay an egg in Detroit. But here’s the frustrating part: they’re still just five games out of the second seed in the West. It’s both a reason for hope and a reminder of how much this team has underachieved.

It’s not just about beating the Clippers tomorrow night – it’s about building momentum. The wolves have enough talent to run and climb the standings. They just need to stop beating themselves up.

Prediction: Wolves 104, Clippers 98

This feels like a bounce-back game. The Wolves are at home, they’ve beaten the Clippers twice, and they’ll (hopefully) be motivated to wash the taste of Detroit out of their mouths. Edwards will do his part, but the key will be getting contributions from Randle, Gobert and the rest of the supporting cast. If the Wolves can bring the energy and play to their potential, they will send the Goal Center crowd home happy.