Reilly
11-07-2005, 01:43 AM
Los Angeles Clippers (3-0) at Minnesota Timberwolves (1-2).
TIME: Monday, 8 p.m. EST.
The unbeaten Los Angeles Clippers look to continue their surprising play and complete a home-and-home sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.
The Clippers pulled out a 100-99 home victory over Minnesota in overtime Saturday night, giving them their first 3-0 start since 1985-86. Elton Brand and Cuttino Mobley scored 27 points apiece to lead the Clippers, but the victory was especially sweet for Sam Cassell.
The Los Angeles point guard played a career-low 59 games with the Timberwolves in 2004-05 due to a contract dispute in training camp and a hamstring injury. Minnesota traded Cassell to the Clippers with a conditional first-round draft pick for Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers in the offseason.
"He's been terrific," Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy said of Cassell. "He's brought, obviously, his ability to play on the court. But the intangibles in the locker room have really been beyond my expectations - how easily he's integrated with our group and how good our chemistry is with him.
"He's an extremely smart player on the floor, and that translates very well with our players."
The Clippers went on to win their first five games of 1985-86, but finished 32-50. Dunleavy hopes the frontcourt presence of Brand, combined with the revamped backcourt of Cassell and Mobley, helps this season's Clippers avoid a similar fate.
The young Clips are already showing maturity, hanging on to win Saturday after Kevin Garnett's 11-foot jumper with 7.3 seconds left forced the extra period. Los Angeles then survived a missed jumper by Garnett in the final seconds of overtime.
"This is a huge gut check for this team," Mobley said. "Tonight's game was an ugly win, but we still have to play them on Monday and they will be looking for payback."
After winning at home against Portland on Wednesday, Saturday's close loss was Minnesota's second straight on the road.
"It felt good and looked good, from my perspective, but it just came out," Garnett, who finished with 25 points and 15 rebounds, said of his potential winning shot.
Minnesota is playing its only home-and-home series of the season.
STANDINGS (through Nov. 6): Clippers - 1st place, Pacific Division. Timberwolves - 3rd place (tied), 1 GB, Northwest Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Clippers - F Quinton Ross, F Brand, C Chris Kaman, G Mobley, G Cassell. Timberwolves - F Garnett, F Wally Szczerbiak, C Michael Olowokandi, G Trenton Hassell, G Jaric.
TEAM LEADERS: Clippers - Cassell, 19.7 ppg and 7.3 assists; James Singleton, 9.0 rpg. Timberwolves - Garnett, 22.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 6.3 apg.
SEASON SERIES: Clippers, 1-0.
LAST MEETING: Nov. 5; Clippers 100-99, OT. At Los Angeles, Cassell added 12 points and seven assists in support of Brand and Mobley.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Clippers - 1-0 on the road. Timberwolves - 1-0 at home.
TIME: Monday, 8 p.m. EST.
The unbeaten Los Angeles Clippers look to continue their surprising play and complete a home-and-home sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.
The Clippers pulled out a 100-99 home victory over Minnesota in overtime Saturday night, giving them their first 3-0 start since 1985-86. Elton Brand and Cuttino Mobley scored 27 points apiece to lead the Clippers, but the victory was especially sweet for Sam Cassell.
The Los Angeles point guard played a career-low 59 games with the Timberwolves in 2004-05 due to a contract dispute in training camp and a hamstring injury. Minnesota traded Cassell to the Clippers with a conditional first-round draft pick for Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers in the offseason.
"He's been terrific," Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy said of Cassell. "He's brought, obviously, his ability to play on the court. But the intangibles in the locker room have really been beyond my expectations - how easily he's integrated with our group and how good our chemistry is with him.
"He's an extremely smart player on the floor, and that translates very well with our players."
The Clippers went on to win their first five games of 1985-86, but finished 32-50. Dunleavy hopes the frontcourt presence of Brand, combined with the revamped backcourt of Cassell and Mobley, helps this season's Clippers avoid a similar fate.
The young Clips are already showing maturity, hanging on to win Saturday after Kevin Garnett's 11-foot jumper with 7.3 seconds left forced the extra period. Los Angeles then survived a missed jumper by Garnett in the final seconds of overtime.
"This is a huge gut check for this team," Mobley said. "Tonight's game was an ugly win, but we still have to play them on Monday and they will be looking for payback."
After winning at home against Portland on Wednesday, Saturday's close loss was Minnesota's second straight on the road.
"It felt good and looked good, from my perspective, but it just came out," Garnett, who finished with 25 points and 15 rebounds, said of his potential winning shot.
Minnesota is playing its only home-and-home series of the season.
STANDINGS (through Nov. 6): Clippers - 1st place, Pacific Division. Timberwolves - 3rd place (tied), 1 GB, Northwest Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Clippers - F Quinton Ross, F Brand, C Chris Kaman, G Mobley, G Cassell. Timberwolves - F Garnett, F Wally Szczerbiak, C Michael Olowokandi, G Trenton Hassell, G Jaric.
TEAM LEADERS: Clippers - Cassell, 19.7 ppg and 7.3 assists; James Singleton, 9.0 rpg. Timberwolves - Garnett, 22.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 6.3 apg.
SEASON SERIES: Clippers, 1-0.
LAST MEETING: Nov. 5; Clippers 100-99, OT. At Los Angeles, Cassell added 12 points and seven assists in support of Brand and Mobley.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Clippers - 1-0 on the road. Timberwolves - 1-0 at home.