MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell got here by way of with a gentle stream of clutch makes. Patrick Beverley provided the depth in an emotional overcome his former group.
The Minnesota Timberwolves proved they belong within the playoffs, and that uncommon air for this franchise is simply the place they’re headed.
Edwards and Russell mixed for 59 factors to assist the Timberwolves overcome a tough evening for Karl-Anthony Cities and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 in a play-in sport on Tuesday evening.
“The sport needed to go in a unique route,” coach Chris Finch mentioned. “That’s why you've gotten a group, as a result of quite a lot of different individuals step up.”
Edwards scored 30 factors with 5 3-pointers and Russell had 29 factors and 6 assists to ship the Wolves to the No. 7 seed within the Western Convention and a first-round matchup with Memphis.
“Simply using what we now have,” Russell mentioned. “We’ve bought quite a lot of items that complement one another.”
Paul George completed with 34 factors after taking pictures 2 for 10 within the first half for the Clippers, who've a second probability to make the playoffs with a house sport on Friday for the No. 8 seed towards both New Orleans or San Antonio.
Reggie Jackson (17 factors) and Norman Powell (16 factors) did their half in stretches, however the Clippers didn't create sufficient separation when the Timberwolves have been sputtering by way of many of the first half.
Cities had solely 11 factors on 3-for-11 taking pictures and fouled out halfway by way of the fourth quarter, however his sidekicks have been greater than as much as the problem.
“I took what the sport gave me. That’s what they gave me. They have been scared to protect me, and I took benefit of that,” Edwards mentioned.
Jackson’s 3-pointer gave the Clippers their largest lead of the sport at 93-83 with 8:54 remaining, however about 4 minutes later Russell knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer for a 97-95 benefit the Wolves by no means relinquished. He saluted the group for the punctuation.
Edwards adopted with a tomahawk dunk after blowing by Powell on the high of the important thing.
“I’m among the best defensive guys on earth, and nobody can guard him,” mentioned Beverley, who was in tears in the course of the spirited celebration afterward as Edwards hopped up on the scorer’s desk.
The followers have been fired up for this fast-paced, fast-improving group that’s headed to the playoffs for the second time in 17 years, however the buzz wore off a bit within the third quarter whereas George discovered his groove with a easy 15 factors.
Then Cities fouled out with 7:34 to go, lower than 2 minutes after he had simply checked again in.
“They performed rather a lot higher with out KAT on the ground,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue mentioned. “They bought into us defensively. They switched on much more stuff. I simply didn’t assume we made the correct performs.”
The Clippers had success disrupting Cities in the course of the common season after they gained three of the 4 matchups, dropping solely in January when George was out, they usually spared no power attacking the two-time All-Star middle from each which means. Nicolas Batum was his main tormentor, however many of the Clippers had a hand in it.
Cities didn't make a basket within the first half for the primary time in additional than three years, an 0-for-7 clunker. His solely factors got here on a pair of free throws, and he flashed a sarcastic smile and pumped his first after getting that decision.
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