More great stuff from @John Hollinger + @SethPartnow. Hollinger has been must-reading the past two or three trade time columns. Turns out it really helps to know + remember your mindset when you were on the inside. theathletic.com/1455612/2019/1…

Adult advice of the day. If you find yourself wondering who smells, chances are it’s you.

There will be a nice scouting presence at the Barn tomorrow for #Gophers-#Buckeyes. These #NBA teams will be represented: Raptors, Clippers, Heat, Hawks, and Nuggets. It’s another good chance to evaluate Oturu vs. solid competition. OSU has plenty of studs too.

You up? The Wolf Nightcap, Vol. 7 canishoopus.com/2019/12/14/210… pic.twitter.com/xmPCqnlNfq

I’ve never seen a Timberwolves player do a basketball play like this. Would be cool though.
pic.twitter.com/UJiZCNtCaL

Via @Twolves_PR: Tonight marked the second time that two opposing teammates (Kawhi + PG13) have scored 40+ in the same game against the Wolves, joining Kevin Durant (40) and Russell Westbrook (45) on 3/23/12 at Oklahoma City.

Both KAT and Saunders didn't play the moral victory card after this one. Saunders lamented how well they can play "when they follow the system."

KAT said the hole never should've been that big in the first place.

KAT: “Moral victories don’t pay the bills.” pic.twitter.com/70gZmBPFiu

RoCo: “Once we decided to change that up we got back into the game and you started to see a different mindset of everyone and you seen a different vibe and energy & that’s something we can build off of. It’s just we can’t wait until we get down to sit up here & do that stretch.” pic.twitter.com/Z93pzv3P4c

This fits all the criteria of a moral victory--a 4th quarter to cling to with a 7-game losing streak and four days off

Ryan Saunders on the Wolves 4th quarter push:

“When we play the right way, I’d like to think it works.”

Covington was superb defensively in the fourth on Kawhi. That’s the player that hasn’t quite been here yet this season.

Wolves are off until Wednesday. An inspired fourth quarter goes a long way in making that break far less sour.

Clips 124, Wolves 117

Rest of December:
v. Pels
@ DEN
@ POR
@ GSW
@ SAC
v. CLE
v. BKN

KAT with 39 and 12
Wiggins with 34
Teague was really good: 22, 5 a, 4r

Clippers hold on for the win. If the Wolves can bottle that 4th quarter, they'll be fine.

Feels like every time the Wolves have needed a big rebound during this losing streak they haven't boxed out or just don't have enough juice on the glass and it's led to an offensive rebound and second chance points. 22nd in defensive rebounding % this season. It's hurt them.

Killer TO from Covington there. The definition of trying to do too much.

Teague beside himself that he didn't shoot that 3.

34 for Wiggins. This has been a hellacious 4th quarter

No shortage of huge defensive plays from all the Wolves in this fourth quarter.

KAT appears to be ok which is basically all that matters in this game.

Doc Rivers with a sublime heel move on that challenge

KAT was definitely shaken up on that dunk attempt. Now he's got two free throws here as Wolves try to hang around

Towns staying in the game for his free throws.

On the bench, KAT is signaling that he came down flat on his foot. He's flexing his ankle up and down.

Not sure what any of that means, but that's what he's doing.

Towns with a hard fall on a Harrell foul and he was grabbing his left knee it appeared.

RoCo defense on Kawhi in second half has been a work of basketball art under daunting circumstances. Bravo.

BIG KAT getting MVP chants inside a suddenly electric building that was dead only a little bit ago.

Teague finally gets the ball to KAT on the wing. He buries the 3 and the foul. It's a 5-point game. Towns up to 38 and 12. Man's game from him.

THIS MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

OH MY.

Where was this energy in the 3rd?

Jeff Teague's request to come off the bench was a brilliant gambit. He has bent the offense to his will and style and earning as many minutes as his body can stand

Bad time for a T there.

Wolves have finally come to the party in the second half.

Jeff Teague has been a huge part of the Wolves cutting what was once a 27-point deficit to the Clippers down to 10.

With Beverley out, that might have been the matchup all night. Big boost from Teague over Culver.

Unfortunately this rare nationally televised game for Wolves is feeding the empty stats narrative on Towns.

The latest in a series of brutal third quarters for Wolves. 37-23.

Timberwolves 81, George and Leonard 76 through three quarters.

Have two teammates ever had 50 in the same game?

Kawhi Leonard has 37 and Paul George has 39 through three quarters against Minnesota tonight.

Kawhi has 37 points on 19 shots in 27 minutes.

PG has 39, but he's needed 23 shots to get there, so ...

Covington played Kawhi just right two straight possessions, the second with ideal timely help from Gorgui. But they have to rest now.

Random thought from Target Center with the Wolves down by 23 to the Clips:

Fans get to sit *really* close to players during games. It's wild to me that crazy stuff doesn't go down more often.

Wolves have 4 days off after this. Time for some soul-searching during that break.

I still think players forget a lot that the shot clock now resets to 14 on an offensive rebound.

Jarrett Culver is looking and acting overmatched tonight.

KAT pissed at sitting with 4 fouls with 21 minutes to play. But it's the right move and Gorgui has provided a spark in similar circumstances

Now Towns heads to the bench with 4 fouls, Wolves down 13 with 9:09 left in the third.

Wolves going with a 3-2 zone (that's kinda box-in-one-y) against Kawhi and PG. This is new.

Really ugly night for Jarrett Culver so far.