Clippers roll past Timberwolves, Patrick Beverley for seventh straight win

Patrick Beverley’s return to Staples Center could not have been scripted any better for the Clippers. One night after he helped the Minnesota Timberwolves blow out the rival Lakers, his former team honored him with a video tribute, then held him to five points en route to a 129-102 blowout for its seventh consecutive victory.

Losing on the second night of a back-to-back was not the way Beverley and his new team wanted to end a four-game road trip, especially considering it was his first game against the Clippers in their arena since he was traded to Memphis in a multi-player deal for Eric Bledsoe in August. Beverley was dealt to Minnesota just nine days later.

With the win, the Clippers (8-4) clinched the season series with Minnesota, having already won the first two matchups in Minnesota, and made it six victories in a row versus the Timberwolves dating to last season.

Paul George averaged 26.5 points in the first two games against Minnesota and he led the Clippers with 23 points and nine rebounds Saturday as six players scored in double figures. Ivica Zubac had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Bledsoe had 14 points and nine assists.

Off the bench, Terance Mann scored 16 and Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks as Los Angeles finished with 35 assists.

The Clippers nearly had two more players in double digits — Luke Kennard and Jay Scrubb both had nine. Los Angeles shot 53.5%, won the rebounding battle 58-40 and had 66 points in the paint compared to 50 for Minnesota. The Clippers led by as many as 31 points and shot 40% from beyond the arc.

Point guard Reggie Jackson was the Clippers’ most efficient shooter in the prior two games with Minnesota and he had the hot hand again Saturday to the tune of 21 points (including three three-pointers), draining nine of 16 shots from the field. He has scored 20 or more points in five of his last seven games.

“First of all, can we give a shout out for Pat [Beverley] please?” Jackson exhorted the fans moments after the final horn sounded. “We’re putting things together, we’re spacing the floor and we’re making the right reads. It’s great playing on our home court and having our fans supporting us.”

Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Marcus Morris Sr. (knee) were out with injuries and 13-year NBA veteran Serge Ibaka remains in the G League, where he asked to go earlier in the week for more playing time and to sharpen his skills after lackluster performances in limited minutes against Charlotte and Portland since returning from back surgery.

The Clippers had 70 points at halftime — their highest total in one half all season — and led by 27. Beverley tallied five points on two-for-five shooting in 16 minutes over the first two quarters and played only seven minutes without a point in the second half.

The tribute to Beverley highlighted the hustle and defense that made him a fan favorite during his four years in a Clippers uniform. Entering Saturday he was averaging 7.9 points, 5.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds.

Whenever Ibaka returns to the Clippers (Agua Caliente was scheduled to play back-to-back in Stockton on Sunday and Monday), it will be a welcome sight for a team that has been without Leonard since the start of the season and lost Morris to a knee injury after one game.

“Everyone’s playing hard and bringing the energy,” Hartenstein said. “PG has been carrying us and he’s playing at an NBA level right now. He’s making things easier for everyone else.”

Forward Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves (4-8) with 21 points. D’Angelo Russell added 15 points and eight assists and Jaden McDaniels also had 15, but Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 29 points the night before, was held to eight.

“It was a great all-around team win,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We shared the ball, we moved our bodies and will held Karl-Anthony Towns to single digits, which is hard to do. We gave him a lot of attention. He’s a great player, we know that, but Nico [Batum] did a great job denying him, making sure he didn’t step back and get three-pointers off.”

UP NEXT

CLIPPERS

VS. CHICAGO

When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday

On the air: TV: Bally Sports SoCal; Radio: 570, 1330

Update: The Bulls (8-4) enter the game in a chase for the Eastern Conference's top spot. Chicago will be without two-time All-Star center Nikola Vucevic (health protocols) and second-year forward Patrick Williams, who played five games before needing wrist surgery.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.