By Kent Youngblood, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) –
MINNEAPOLIS — By the time March has ended the Timberwolves will have become a rare commodity at Target Center.
Seriously.
The Wolves have 17 games this month, but just six at home, with four coming this week. So it was important — no, crucial — for the Wolves to take advantage of the home crowd when they could.
(PHOTO: Kevin Love (42) of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunked the ball in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sunday, March 5, 2012. The Timberolves beat the Clippers, 95-94.)
Kevin Love made sure they did. In a relentlessly physical push-and-shove of a game, Love made sure that was exactly what happened. How? With 39 points — this coming on the heels of his 42-point performance in Portland Saturday — and 17 rebounds. And he had big baskets down the stretch in a 95-94 victory over the L.A.Clippers.
Love came within one point of becoming the first player in Wolves history to have back-to-back 40-point games. As it is, he posted his 13th 30-point game of the season — second most in franchise history — leading the Wolves from start to finish.
Not that the Clippers were easily dismissed. Down 15 in the second quarter, they rallied to within one by halftime. Down 10 entering the fourth quarter, the Clippers clawed back. With 2.7 seconds left and the Clippers down three, Chris Paul missed a three-pointer but was fouled by Derrick Williams. He made the first and the second, but missed the third and Ricky Rubio got the rebound.
Rubio missed both free throws—the second on purpose—and the Clippers were unable to get a quality shot.
In the end, despite being beat up on the court and on the boards, the Wolves won at home for the fourth time in a row and for the seventh time in 10 games. In front of 19,509 fans — the team’s sixth sellout this season — the Wolves (20-19) pushed above .500 yet again.
Did we mention it was physical? The Clippers were called for two technical fouls in the fourth quarter, the second with 2 minutes, 22 seconds remaining and the Wolves up five. Ridnour fouled Blake Griffin on a fast break, and Griffin tackled Ridnour on the way down.
Once the dust cleared, Ridnour made his free throw and Griffin missed both of his, giving the Wolves a six-point lead.
But it wasn’t over. With 1 minute, 48 seconds to play, Williams was fouled by Ridnour on a three-pointer and made all three free throws to cut the Wolves lead to 91-88.
Love hit a jumper, then Griffin dunked. Then, with 43.4 seconds left, Love hit a jump hook in the lane over Kenyon Martin to push the lead back to five.
Chris Paul hit two free throws with 29.1 seconds left to make it a four-point game.
Later, Paul had a chance to tie the score, but missed the third of three free throws and the game was over.
It was a team effort. Starting center Nikola Pekovic missed the game because of a sore right foot, but Darko Milicic filled in, scoring 13 points with four rebounds and playing some good post defense in his first start since Feb. 3. Ridnour scored 12 and Williams came off the bench to score 15. Michael Beasley scored all nine of his points in the fourth.
The Clippers were led by Griffin (26 points, 12 rebounds), Moe Williams (19) and Paul (18).
The Wolves’ victory was the third in three games vs. the Clippers this season.
The two teams were tied at 57 in the third quarter when Rubio started to make his presence felt.
He missed a shot, but then intercepted a Clippers pass at midcourt and fed Love for a three-pointer. Then Rubio was fouled and made both free throws. At the other end he doubled up on Griffin, forcing a turnover, then Rubio drove for a score at the other end.
