Clippers at Wolves GDT

[60WinTim]

Big game tonight with lots of implications!

First, it's a "best-in-the-West" game, because if the Wolves lose the Thunder will take over the top spot in the West. Who would of thunk it!

Second, we are sitting at 1-2 in the Mock Playoffs. A loss drops us to 1-3, which could be a hole too deep to climb out. But a 2-2 record puts us back in the driver seat with two more home games against .500+ teams.

The Wolves have a chance to get a boatload of wins over the next 8 games, with only two games against winning teams, the Clippers and Thunder, both at home. It would be sweet to establish some Western Conference dominance winning all of the next 8 games!

I saw yesterday ANT has been added to the injury report as questionable. Hopefully, he is a "go".

[Coolbreeze44]

Just guessing on what the matchups might be:

Conley on Mann
Jaden on Harden
Ant on George
Kat on Leonard
Gobert on Zubac

I don't see how the Clippers handle KAT, and we are going to have to give help on Kawhi.

[FNG]

This feels like the biggest game of the year to me, and also a fascinating game from a match up standpoint. The Clippers have been playing the best basketball in the West for a couple months, and a win over them would tell us a lot about our team. Ant's appearance on the injury list moved the line 3 points...the Wolves were favored by 1 1/2, but now the Clippers are.

Talk about matchup problems both ways. The Clips are going to challenge our defense big time on the perimeter...their Big 3 plus Norman Powell are all making more than 42% of their 3's. I think Cool nailed how we are going to match up against them, although Finchie may reverse KAT and Ant or even decide to start Ant on Harden. Either way, KAT is going to have to be very mobile on the perimeter.

And it's going to be interesting to see how they handle our height advantage. Kawhi is a terrific defender, but it isn't often that he gives up 4 inches and 30 pounds. I'd love to see KAT and Ant get the Clipper's forwards in foul trouble early.

Tim is correct that we fall out of first place with a loss tonight, but it doesn't bother me too much...as I look at the schedule the rest of the month, we should be 2 or 3 games up on OkC by 1/31.

[KiwiMatt]

A healthy Clippers team is pretty formidable. But if any team can match up defensively against them it's the Wolves.

Hopefully Ant plays and the Wolves homecourt advantage sees us through.

[Q-is-here]

This feels like the biggest game of the year to me, and also a fascinating game from a match up standpoint. The Clippers have been playing the best basketball in the West for a couple months, and a win over them would tell us a lot about our team. Ant's appearance on the injury list moved the line 3 points...the Wolves were favored by 1 1/2, but now the Clippers are.

Talk about matchup problems both ways. The Clips are going to challenge our defense big time on the perimeter...their Big 3 plus Norman Powell are all making more than 42% of their 3's. I think Cool nailed how we are going to match up against them, although Finchie may reverse KAT and Ant or even decide to start Ant on Harden. Either way, KAT is going to have to be very mobile on the perimeter.

And it's going to be interesting to see how they handle our height advantage. Kawhi is a terrific defender, but it isn't often that he gives up 4 inches and 30 pounds. I'd love to see KAT and Ant get the Clipper's forwards in foul trouble early.

Tim is correct that we fall out of first place with a loss tonight, but it doesn't bother me too much...as I look at the schedule the rest of the month, we should be 2 or 3 games up on OkC by 1/31.

That's just insane that they have four regulars in their rotation that shoot 42%+ from 3. I mean, c'mon! It will be really important for guys to stay home on the perimeter and let Rudy do his thing at the rim...don't overhelp.

I think the goal should be home court advantage in our first playoff series, so end up in 4th place or higher in the West.

[60WinTim]

There is a bit of separation building between the top 4 teams - Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets and Clippers - and everyone else. So this is a nice a litmus test to see how the top 4 teams will jockey around for seeding. The Nuggets are hosting the Pacers this afternoon, which is another hot team (along with the Utah Jazz!).

[Coolbreeze44]

As a Minnesota sports fan I really want to win this game. And unfortunately, you know how that normally plays out.

[Coolbreeze44]

Testify Wolves, Testify

[Coolbreeze44]

NAZ Reid

[kekgeek]

Great start. Mcdaniels was real good