Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Clippers: A fight for the top of the West
The Minnesota Timberwolves are visiting the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Wolves are without Karl-Anthony Towns
The Minnesota Timberwolves are third in the Western Conference with a 44-21 record. They have lost the last two games and are coming off a 120-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Wolves are the best defensive team in the league, allowing 106.8 points per game and allowing 44.7% shooting from the field. Offensively, they are third in the league, shooting 38.5% from three-point territory. Anthony Edwards is having an excellent season, averaging 26.3 points per game.
The Clippers are picking up their game
The Los Angeles Clippers are fourth in the Western Conference with a 41-22 record. They have won four of the last six games and are coming off a 124-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Clippers are second in the league, shooting 38.7% from deep, and are ranked 11th, scoring 117.2 points per game. Kawhi Leonard is the top scorer on the team, averaging 24 points per game.
Betting Trends
Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games against the Clippers. The Timberwolves are 1-7 ATS in the last 8 games overall, 0-6 ATS in the last 6 games against teams from the Western Conference and 3-8 ATS in the last 11 games against teams from the Pacific Division. The Clippers are 4-10 ATS in the last 14 games overall, 1-5 ATS in the last 6 games against teams from the Western Conference and 2-5 ATS in the last 7 games against teams from the Northwest Division.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are close to the top of the Western Conference, and this game may have a major impact on the final standings. The Timberwolves had won four straight against the Clippers before the team from LA won the last one 89-88. Karl-Anthony Towns is out for the Wolves, which will be a problem to a certain point, but as long as Anthony Edwards plays the way he does this season, the Wolves can beat anybody in the league. It is a fact that the Clippers have an excellent roster, but Minnesota will stay close in this one and cover the +7-point spread.
