LA Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction: The Clippers play tough defense

The NBA Prediction scene is wavering and this has been a tricky terrain thus far. The Prediction scenario in this league is an exercise filled with a lot of pain as some bets can fail just by a missed free-throw, a made bucket, a late collapse, or a late upheaval. Keeping this in mind, the LA Clippers will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

The Clippers march into this affair after beating the Celtics 113:93 as Paul George scooped up 26 points in a brilliant defensive effort. The Clippers have won two in a row and have a record of 16 wins and 13 losses. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have played just eight times together this season after not playing together at all last season due to Leonards’s season-long absence. When these two play together, the offense is much better and the defense is peerless. However, Kawhi is still getting his conditioning back and his numbers are way down.

Paul George is averaging close to 24 points but the rest of the team doesn’t feature a player averaging even 15 points. Because of the lack of offense, the team is averaging around 108 points, being the second-worst offense in terms of points. Defensively, they do get it done, restricting teams to around 108 points, being the fourth-best in that regard. Norman Powell’s injury has caused fluctuations but even then, the Clippers do have a lot of experience and need George and Leonard to be together more and more.

The Timberwolves enter the affair after losing 112:133 against the Trail Blazers despite a 23 points performance by D’Angelo Russell. This was the second straight loss and the Wolves have lost three out of their last five games. They have been playing without Karl Anthony-Towns for around two weeks but their woes began even when he was there; Their offense isn’t as fluid as last season and their defense refuses to take the next step even with a much more balanced defensive lineup even after the inclusion of the former Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

Anthony Edwards is amazing on the break and has averaged over 20 points again whereas D’Angelo Russell has strung together a bunch of 20+ points games after a slow start. Rudy Gobert is doing his usual thing as a rebounder but even after that, Minnesota hasn’t been a reliable rebounding unit. The Wolves have given up close to 117 points and are fourth-worst in that regard; Their three-point defense has been abysmal, having given up more 14 threes a game, which is the worst effort in that league.]

• Clippers: OUT: John Wall, Norman Powell;
• Timberwolves: OUT: Taurean Prince, Karl Anthony-Towns, Jordan McLaughlin. Game-Time Decision: D’Angelo Russell.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Paul George(25-31 Points), Anthony Edwards(22-26 Points), D’Angelo Russell(21-25 Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Rudy Gobert(12-15 Rebounds), Ivica Zubac(11-13 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: D’Angelo Russell(6-9 Assists), John Wall(5-7 Assists).

The Clippers’ defense made a mockery of the best offense Celtics which means that the Timberwolves will need to step their game up. They’d miss Karl Anthony-Towns here and Anthony Edwards will see a host of pressure defense. The Clippers' offense isn’t fluid but if Kawhi and Paul will find ways to make it work, especially the latter. In this game, I see the Clippers putting up a lot of fights and I believe they will come on top here taking advantage of Wolves’ defense. I predict a scoreline of 118:109 in favor of the Clippers.