Western Conference | Play-In - (7) Minnesota Timberwolves vs (8) Los Angeles Clippers

[Jordan45822]

Tuesday April 12: LA Clippers vs Minnesota Timberwolves 9:30 ET (TNT)

Probably regret the choice but I will go with LA.

[TinmanZBoy]

Minn
I have them upsetting the grizzlies, better make the No 7 seed first

[perempe20]

Voted for the home team.

[Madhouse]

Timberwolves should win.

[Jadoogar]

Twolves are more talented but Clippers are a very scrappy team and Paul George seems to be rounding into form. Should be a fun game.

[SA37]

This would be a great 7-game series.

I give the Clips a slight advantage because of their experience and I think they're more defensively solid, but Minnesota has some explosive offensive players that can go off to the point there just isn't a defense that will stop them in 48 minutes.

[matt6715]

Memphis not getting a great draw in the first round either way

[Whole Truth]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

IMO, the only spot that should be up for grabs to control tanking is the 8th seed. 9 plays 10, winner of that game plays a B2B away game for the 8th seed. The 7th seed should not be fighting for their PO life 10 games over the 9 seed.

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

Why not handicap the team that earned the best record while we're at it & give the 8th seed a 2 game advantage.

[Parataxis]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

They do.

If you make the playoffs, you're out of the lottery. If you botch the play-in, you're in the lottery. Doesn't matter if you were 10th or 7th.

[Castle Black]

Minny should win but the Clippers seem to thrive as the underdog so who knows.

[Wolfgang630]

This could be a great game with Paul George here now.

[The High Cyde]

It’s fate the Clippers have to go through Patrick Beverley to make the playoffs

[lonniefire]

I’m going with the Wolves. Hope they pull it off.

[Catchall]

This is close. Clippers are the better team on paper with the guys they have back now, imo.

Spurs and Pels are locked in to the other play-in game, with the Pels very likely having homecourt.

[FJS]

Not sure... Wolves should win... but Clippers have some good players and a great coach.

[AbeVigodaLive]

It was early in the season... and the Timberwolves improved significantly from then... but the Clippers throttled the Wolves (and Towns). They won by 11, 20 and 27 points. Towns averaged only 15.3 ppg on 42% fg.

The Clippers put Batum on him... and he was very physical, basically following him around, bumping, holding, clutching, basically being a pest. And then the Clippers sent a lot of help once Towns got the ball. (By the way, Batum shot 14 - 22 fg in those three games.)

- Towns has led the league in offensive fouls many times now, including this season. In fact, he leads all others by a ridiculous margin. Many of them are even deemed "flagrant" on review. He flails his arms driving to the hoop, especially when he's frustrated about previous calls. It's a legit problem, especially against good teams.

- The playoffs will allow more of that bumping and shoving in the post, especially from undersized guys. It's pretty funny how much they let go in the post when it's a small guy defending. The key will be whether the officials do the laughable thing where they call Towns (or other big) for an offensive foul for simply turning around while the smaller defender who had just been grabbing and tugging and shoving suddenly has zero strength and flops back 10 ten feet.

- Towns on the court for 40 minutes makes the Wolves pretty solid. Towns battling foul trouble makes the team's lack of inside presence even more obvious and damaging.

- For what it's worth, Jaden McDaniels will probably be guarding Paul George. Halfway through the season, he was actually ahead of Towns for the league lead in fouls despite playing only about 27 mpg.

- The Wolves were 4 - 9 (with those 3 Clippers losses). They've been 42 - 27 since. Part of it has been having Towns be faster and more decisive when he gets the ball vs. smaller guys before the doubles come.

Prediction: Clippers. I think the way the game is called — and how Towns responds — will be crucial. But his lack of composure and ability to work the officials remains arguably the biggest detriments to his game.

[Mavrelous]

Clippers, Wolves will advance from the 8th spot.

[Bobbymcgee]

I would prefer the Clippers play the Suns in the first round TBH. Even though I know that makes it harder on them.

[Upperclass]

Clippers are a far more experienced team in these instances.. Wolves vs Pels will be very interesting though

[Slim Charlez]

Minnesota is the more talented of the two sides for me with Kawhi and Powell out. PG is the best player in the series though. I'll give Minnesota a slight edge because of HCA though.