After three years of scarcity, the Wolves are back in the playoffs! The franchise prepared perfectly for this deadline by winning a real battle against more experienced Clippers who had a hand in the last act. But despite Karl-Anthony Towns being out for six fouls, the hosts found the resources to take down the Californians with their big late game.
Led after a quarter (20-26), the Wolves reacted well in the second act to turn a short header at the break (53-51) despite a Karl-Anthony Towns at 0/7 on shots and already… four personal fouls. Also very clumsy so far, Paul George will wake up in large widths by scoring 15 points in the third period, including three missiles from afar, to allow Los Angeles to regain the advantage in this act (78-84).
A 3-point basket at the buzzer from Malik Beasley allowed Minnesota to end on a better note this period when the Clippers clearly gave the feeling of taking the upper hand, to experience. While Patrick Beverley multiplied the good “shots” in the game, the Wolves seemed a little soft like a Jaden McDaniels struggling to finish in the circle on several occasions.
Sixth foul by Karl-Anthony Towns!
Seven minutes from the end, the locals were already three possessions down (86-93) when the “KAT” committed their sixth foul and were forced to join their bench, head down. End clap for Wolves? Not at all. His premature exit will have the opposite effect on the course of the game. Anthony Edwards rose a little more in temperature, in penetration or 3-pointers, being well imitated by D’Angelo Russell, author of a huge award-winning shot first intention to transition.
Both men will carry the men on a 16-2 to turn the game around. Paul George may have returned a few shots from long distance, the Clippers fished in attack and were overwhelmed by the intensity deployed in front. Final victory for Wolves over the chants of “Beat LA” from the public who were just waiting for that.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Wolves return to playoffs. Chris Finch and his troupe thus validate their very good regular season marked by the best record in the franchise (56% victory) since 2018, the date of the last qualification in the playoffs under the era of Tom Thibodeau and Jimmy Butler. The Minnesota franchise proved a bunch of prognosticators wrong at the start of the season.
– The intensity of Patrick Beverley! Despite his lack of skill in attack, he deserves his mention in the tops. While he was one of the smallest players on the floor, the point guard finished as the game’s best…rebounder. Faced with his former team, he behaved like the plague we know, trying to cause a technical foul in front of Marcus Morris (the referees had signed a double technical foul before awarding him…) or by stealing a decisive ball to Reggie Jackson in the last moments. The qualification for the playoffs, Wolves owe it in part to its intensity in this match and this season.
– From clumsiness to free throws. The two teams did not really shine in terms of skill in the game, intensity of the playoffs requires. But the two teams, which committed nearly 30 fouls each, did not shine on the throw line either, where Minnesota still dropped 14 points on the way.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Paul George. Despite major problems with skill in the second quarter in particular (0/6), the winger held his rank with 15 points in the third period. Author of a complete outing, he might have gained from attacking the circle a little more.
✅ Anthony Edwards et D’Angelo Russell. The offensive heroes of Wolves have perfectly taken over during the absence of their interior. The playmaker shone with his peripheral play while the fullback alternated between long-range shooting and physical circle attacks.
⛔ Karl-Anthony Towns. A terrible match for the interior who committed at least four very silly mistakes, in the fight for rebounds with Ivica Zubac or Paul George. Frustrated by the whistles, he was never able to get into his game.
THE MATCH INTERRUPTED BY A… “GLUE GIRL”
Surreal scene and never seen at the end of the second quarter. A woman invited herself onto the floor to try to… stick herself to the floor with super glue. It would be a activist who wanted to denounce the role of one of Wolves owner Glen Taylor’s companies in the slaughter of millions of chickens.
THE FOLLOWING
Wolves : trip to Memphis, Saturday.
Clippers : reception of the winner of Pelicans – Spurs, Friday.
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