MINNEAPOLIS _ On one Target Center bench, the Los Angeles Clippers, the hottest team in the league, a team in the playoff mix looking to move up into home court position, a roster that included one of the better benches in the league.
On the other, the Timberwolves. Losers of five of six, out of the playoffs, officially. With a lineup severely limited by a slew of injuries.
So what happened Tuesday should come as no surprise:
In a remarkably quiet Target Center, the Clippers jumped on the Wolves early and never really let up in a 122-111 victory that didn't seem as close as the final score.
Down 25 early in the third quarter, the Wolves cut the lead to 15 entering the fourth, then came all the way back to within six on Karl-Anthony Towns' 3-pointer with 7:18 left.
No closer.
Montrezl Harrell dunked, Towns missed, Harrell scored again, a Wolves turnover was turned into a Garrett Temple 3 and the Clippers were in control for good with what ultimately became a 9-0 run.
It was the sixth straight victory and the 11th in their last 12 games for the Clippers (45-30), who remained just two games out of fourth place in the Western Conference, which would come with home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Wolves (33-41) lost their second straight home game and for the sixth time in seven games.
Minnesota was down by 19 after a quarter, by 20 at halftime.
Danilo Gallinari scored 25 for the Clippers, making 6 of 9 3-pointers. Lou Williams had 20 and Harrell added 18. The Clippers shot 54.1 percent and hit 16 of 32 3s.
After a slow start offensively, Towns finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins had 22, Dario Saric 18.
The Clippers wasted very, very little time, making their first two shots _ both 3-pointers _ while starting the game on a 14-5 run. The Wolves managed to pull within eight points mid-way through the quarter. But out of a timeout, two more 3s started another 15-4 run _ one that featured three more made 3s _ that put the Clippers up 38-19. Four Clippers scored five or more points in the quarter, with the team hitting 7 of 10 3-pointers and shooting 65 percent overall. It ended with L.A. up 42-34.
The Wolves got their offense going a bit in the second quarter, scoring 32 points and shooting 9 for 22 from the field.
But they lost ground to the deep Clippers who, by halftime, had nine players with five or more points.
Down 25 early in the quarter, the Wolves cut the lead to 18. But the Clippers wouldn't let Minnesota any closer. Scoring another 14 points in the paint and hitting another three 3-pointers, the Clippers led 75-55 at the half.
The Wolves scored the first four of the third quarter to pull within 16, only to have the Clippers hit three straight 3s, the last two by Temple.
Down 21, the Wolves put together their best run of the game, a 9-0 run that culminated when Towns turned a Clippers turnover into his first basket of the game. He was fouled, but missed the free throw. Ultimately the ball wound up in Saric's hands. He scored, was fouled and hit the free throw with 4:50 left in the quarter to pull the wolves within 12 points only to have the Clippers push it back to 19 with a 9-2 run. Keita Bates-Diop then scored six straight points to pull the Wolves within 13 before Williams scored to put L.A. up 15 entering the fourth.
