Clippers vs Timberwolves on Friday night is the NBA Cup opener for both teams, and both are trying to stop a losing streak. The LA Clippers (1-3) have lost three straight. The Minnesota Timberwolves (3-2) have lost two straight and are playing without Anthony Edwards, who had knee surgery Thursday. Tip-off is 5 p.m. PT at Target Center in Minneapolis, on ClipperVision and NBA League Pass. The game counts in West Group B.
Minnesota without Anthony Edwards
Edwards had a right knee arthroscopic debridement on Thursday, performed by Dr. Craig Bennett at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that Edwards could miss up to two months after an MRI showed new damage in the knee. Timberwolves president Tim Connelly said Edwards would be “good as new” and that Edwards agreed to the surgery “kicking and screaming.”
It is a big loss. Edwards scored a franchise-record 133 points in his four games, about 33 per game, including 47 in an overtime loss at Cleveland. Minnesota’s first game without him did not go well. The Wolves lost 119-114 at home to Golden State on Wednesday after trailing by as many as 24, as Stephen Curry scored 44.
Chris Finch said his players tried too hard to make up for Edwards’ scoring. “I think it’s just guys feeling that they’ve got to step up, and everybody’s got to step up and try to fill some void,” Finch said. “The scoring void is one of the easier ones to fill. As long as you’re doing the right things and sticking in the flow, people will benefit from it.” He added that “everybody kind of launched a deep 3 on their first touch.” Minnesota went 15 for 45 from three against the Warriors.
Who Minnesota leans on now
- LaMelo Ball: Minnesota’s new point guard is averaging 13.4 points and 6.6 assists, but he has made 14 of 40 threes and has 19 turnovers in five games. He shot 3 of 11 with six turnovers against Golden State. “We’ve got to help him,” Finch said. “They’re putting two on him.”
- Jaden McDaniels: 15.8 points per game on 54.8% shooting. He had 19 on Wednesday.
- Terrence Shannon Jr.: 14.2 points per game.
- Jonathan Kuminga: 13.2 points per game. He signed with Minnesota as a free agent in September and scored 20 against his former team.
- Ayo Dosunmu: 13.0 points per game.
- Rudy Gobert: 6.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. He had 20 rebounds at Cleveland.
Minnesota is also without Donte DiVincenzo, who is out after right Achilles surgery. The Wolves have been strong on the glass, with 17 or more offensive rebounds in three of their five games, according to ESPN box scores.
The Clippers’ problem: holding the ball
The Clippers beat Sacramento 121-96 on opening night. They then lost 125-117 to the Lakers, 108-101 at Oklahoma City and 103-87 to the Lakers again on Wednesday at Intuit Dome. Wednesday was their lowest-scoring game of the season. They shot 26 of 74 from the field and 10 of 31 from three.
Turnovers have been the common thread. The Clippers have 94 in four games, an average of 23.5, including 24 on Wednesday that the Lakers turned into 31 points. Ty Lue said the issue is decision-making, not effort. “I can’t fault guys for trying or saying like we’re being selfish or anything like that,” he said. “I just think the way we need to play and how teams are going to guard us, we’ve just got to make quick decisions. If you see anybody in front of you, then we’ve got to get off of it to make the simple plays, and everything else will take care of itself.”
He wants the team to play faster. “It’s the way we’ve got to play, up-tempo,” Lue said. “When we get stops, get out in transition and run, advance, attack early. But in the halfcourt, we’ve got to play just as fast because we are limited offensively.”
Darius Garland’s back and the Clippers’ injury list
Darius Garland is not on the injury report, but Lue said after Wednesday’s game that his point guard is playing through back tightness. “He’s playing through a little something, but he’s okay to play,” Lue said. “But he is playing through a little something, which is taking his pop away a little bit.” Garland scored 14 on 4-of-12 shooting Wednesday, with 5 assists and 5 turnovers in 26 minutes. He is averaging 21.5 points and 6.5 assists, but he also has 23 turnovers.
Lue said teams are guarding Garland with their best and biggest defenders and collapsing on him in the paint. “I’ll do a better job of helping him out and helping him see those things,” he said.
- Questionable: Rui Hachimura (left quad soreness). He missed Wednesday’s game.
- Out: Bradley Beal (right knee injury management), Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery), Max Strus (right plantar fascia tear), Jordan Miller (left rotator cuff surgery) and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc surgery).
With so many players out, the Clippers are getting production from younger players. Rookie Keaton Wagler scored a career-high 21 off the bench on Wednesday, going 10 for 12 at the line, and is averaging 15.0 points. Brook Lopez is averaging 14.0, Derrick Jones Jr. 12.5 (with 10 of 18 from three), and Kris Dunn has 11 steals in four games.
What to watch
- Turnovers against a team missing its scorer: Minnesota will have trouble scoring in the half court without Edwards. If the Clippers keep giving away 20-plus possessions, they hand the Wolves easy points.
- The glass: Gobert and Minnesota’s offensive rebounding against a Clippers frontcourt that may be without Hachimura.
- Ball against the Clippers’ guards: Dunn and Jones are the Clippers’ best perimeter defenders, and Ball is struggling with his shot.
- Schedule: Minnesota plays at San Antonio on Saturday, so it is on the front end of a back-to-back. The Clippers play at Golden State on Sunday and host Toronto on Monday.
West Group B also includes the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies. The Clippers’ remaining Cup games are Oklahoma City at home on Nov. 13, at Memphis on Nov. 25 and New Orleans at home on Nov. 27. Only the group winner and one wild card per conference advance, so an 0-1 start would hurt.
Notes and conflicts
- Edwards timeline: The AP recap of Wednesday’s game said the Timberwolves “announced Tuesday” that Edwards would miss extended time after surgery. The surgery was on Thursday. Tuesday was the day of the MRI and Charania’s report. The two-month estimate is a report, not an official team timeline.
- Ingram’s injury: The NBA injury report lists right heel surgery. Some outlets describe it as an Achilles injury. We use the official report.
- Hachimura: One betting site listed him as ruled out. The official report says questionable.
- Betting lines: Sportsbooks have Minnesota favored by 5.5 to 7.5 points, so we leave the spread aside.
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