NBA Picks 2/26 – Timberwolves @ Clippers

by Thomas Quaynor for Wannamakeabet.com

The Minnesota Timberwolves (36-23) visit the Los Angeles Clippers (27-30) tonight at Intuit Dome on Prime Video. This is the third of four regular season meetings between the Timberwolves and Clippers. The teams split the first two meetings in Minnesota with the Timberwolves picking up a 109-106 win on Dec. 6, and the Clippers coming out with a 115-96 blowout win on Feb. 8. The final meeting will occur on March 11.

Minnesota has won five of the last six against Los Angeles. They’ve won four in a row at Los Angeles.

Minnesota is a 5-point favorite and the total is 226.5.

WHAT BOTH TEAMS DID IN THEIR PREVIOUS GAME

Minnesota held off Portland 124-121 on the road on Tuesday night. Minnesota connected on 17 three-pointers in the win. Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 34 points (11-27 FG, 5-13 3Pt, 7-10 FT) in 38 minutes to lead Minnesota. Jaden McDaniels stuffed the stat sheet with 29 points (12-16 FG, 5-6 3Pt, 0-1 FT), 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals and 2 assists across 37 minutes. 

All five starters for Minnesota finished with at least 10 points. The Timberwolves have won four of their last five games.

The well-rested Clippers lost 111-109 to Orlando at home on Sunday night. Benedict Mathurin missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that could have won the game for Los Angeles. Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high 37 points (14-25 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 7-9 FT) and added 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in 33 minutes. Mathurin totaled 21 points (7-16 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 6-7 FT), 9 rebounds and 5 assists in 30 minutes off the bench.

TEAM STORYLINES: MINNESOTA

When Hall of Famer and franchise icon Kevin Garnett was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2007 — after 12 spectacular seasons (1996-2007) with the team — the franchise went through a prolonged stretch of futility where they suffered through 10 straight losing seasons and made one playoff appearance (2018) over a 14-year stretch from 2008 through 2022 after Garnett left. 

Minnesota’s fortunes changed dramatically when they landed the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 and 2020. They selected Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015 and Georgia guard Anthony Edwards in 2020. Both guys adapted quickly to the rigors of the NBA and became impact players as rookies. By Edwards’ second season (2021-22) the young duo had transformed Minnesota into a perennial playoff team. 

Led by the elite play from Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota finished with a 56-26 record and advanced to the 2024 Western Conference Finals. It was their most successful season since the 2003-04 campaign when the Timberwolves finished 58-24 and also advanced to the Western Conference Finals behind the heroics of NBA MVP Kevin Garnett.

Despite the overwhelming success in 2024, Minnesota decided to trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks — in exchange for a package that featured Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo — shortly before the 2024-25 season in October 2024. The move shocked many NBA observers because it seemed as if Towns and Anthony Edwards were primed to lead Minnesota to a championship.

With Karl-Anthony Towns no longer on the team, Minnesota went 49-33 in 2024-25 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals for a second straight year as Anthony Edwards continued his elite level of play, and Julius Randle became a terrific second option. 

Superstar Anthony Edwards is currently producing another superb season in year 6. The 24-year-old Georgia product is averaging a career-high 29.5 points per game, along with 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.4 threes on 49.5 percent shooting from the floor and 40.5 percent shooting from long distance across 48 games. Edwards was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career this season and garnered the All-Star game MVP trophy as he led Team Stripes to the championship crown.

The foursome of forward Julius Randle (22.1 ppg, 6.9 rebs, 5.3 asts, 1.1 stls, 1.5 threes, 48.8% from 2 in 58 gms), versatile swingman Jaden McDaniels (14.9 ppg, 4.4 rebs, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1.5 threes, 51.2% from 2, 44% from in 56 gms), super sixth man Naz Reid (14.3 ppg, 6.4 rebs, 1 stl, 2.4 threes, 47.1% from 2, 38.7% from 3 in 57 gms) and center Rudy Gobert (11.2 ppg, 11.3 rebs, 1.6 blks, 70.6% from 2) provide an excellent foundation around Anthony Edwards.

GAME STORYLINES: LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

In a span of 19 months (July 2024 – February 2026), the Los Angeles Clippers have essentially gone through two rebuilds. It began in July 2024 when they allowed star swingman Paul George to walk as a free agent. The Clippers still finished with a respectable 50-32 record last year without George, and appeared to have momentum going into the 2025 playoffs. But the Clippers ended up losing a hard-fought, 7-game series to the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round. In July 2025, they traded Norman Powell to the Miami Heat, despite Powell averaging a career-high 21.8 ppg with the Clippers during the 2024-25 season. 

The Clippers got off to a slow start (6-21) to this season but were turning things around going 17-4 over their next 21 games and sat at 23-25 on Feb. 1. Despite playing very well over a six-week stretch from mid-December through the entire month of January, the Clippers traded stars James Harden (to Cleveland) and Ivica Zubac (to Indiana) at the trade deadline.

These trades seemed like a curious move because the Clippers were arguably the hottest teams in the NBA at the time. Kawhi Leonard was also relatively healthy, and playing at an All-NBA level at the age of 34. The two trades did bring back a pair of promising young players in 26-year-old guard Darius Garland (from Cleveland) and 23-year-old swingman Benedict Mathurin (from) Indiana. Both players were former lottery picks.

Darius Garland was a two-time All-Star (2022 and 2025) as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s averaged at least 20 ppg in 3 of the previous 4 seasons prior to this year. Garland has yet to play for the Clippers due to a sprained right toe. He has not played since Jan. 14.  Benedict Mathurin is an athletic swingman with lots of potential. He’s averaging 22 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals in 5 games with the Clippers. Both players should figure prominently into the Clippers rebuilding plans.

Despite the tumultuous nature of the Clippers 2025-26 season, superstar Kawhi Leonard is registering possibly the best season of his illustrious 15-year career. The 34-year-old, two-time Finals MVP is averaging a career-high 28 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2 steals and 2.7 threes on 49.4 percent shooting from the floor and 38.1 percent shooting from long distance across 44 games. 

If Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy, Darius Garland returns to full health and Benedict Mathurin maintains his current 20 ppg production, they would make up a pretty formidable trio. It will be interesting to see how the trio plays together this season or maybe next season. The Western Conference is loaded, and at 23-25, the Clippers may not feel the need put their best product on the court every night — in other words, the Clippers could be in tank mode for the rest of this season. 

THE PICK: TIMBERWOLVES (-5)

Despite having four days off since their last game, the Clippers come into this game banged up and may not be incentivized to win games at this point. I expect the Timberwolves will take care of business tonight against a somewhat depleted and unmotivated team. Lay the Points and take the Timberwolves.