Kaman da’ man as Clips down T’Wolves

03.14.2006

Los Angeles, CA (Basketball News) - Chris Kaman turned in a huge game, scoring 24 points and grabbing a career-high 23 rebounds, as the Los Angeles Clippers handed the Minnesota Timberwolves a 95-87 loss at Staples Center.

Sam Cassell tallied 17 points and five assists, while Cory Maggette chipped in 15 points off the bench and Elton Brand totaled 14 points and pulled down 11 boards for the Clippers, who have now won four straight contests and matched last season’s win total of 37 wins.

Mike Dunleavy notched his 500th NBA career coaching win for the Clippers.

Ricky Davis led the way with 20 points for the Timberwolves, who have now dropped five in a row. Mark Blount added 18 points and Kevin Garnett tallied 13 points and grabbed 16 boards for Minnesota, who dropped to 8-23 away from home this season.

The Clippers took the lead with 6:53 remaining as Vladimir Radmanovic sank a shot from long distance to put LA on top, 80-77. However, just over two minutes later, a Marco Jaric layup put Minnesota in front, 81-80, with 4:42 left.

Maggette completed a conventional three-point play with 3:47 left to give the Clippers the lead for good, 83-81. They would extend their lead to five points as Brand popped a jumper off of a pick-and-roll with Cassell to put his team up 91-86.

With 35 seconds left and the T’Wolves down five, Jaric threw away the inbounds pass and Quinton Ross picked up the loose ball and threw down a dunk to put the game away.

Kaman scored 10 points in the opening frame to give the Clippers a one- point lead, 24-23, in a tight first quarter.

Minnesota took the lead early in the second quarter as Rashad McCants drilled a shot from long distance and completed a conventional three- point play as part of a 10-2 Timberwolves run that gave them a five-point edge, 33-28. The T’Wolves led by as many as 11 points before taking a six- point lead into the locker room, 54-48.

The Timberwolves extended their lead to 10 points 1:59 into the third quarter as Garnett sank a turnaround jumper to put his team up, 60-50. The Clippers tightened things up over the rest of the quarter and two free- throws from Maggette made it 72-69 heading into the final stanza.

Game Notes

LA won the season series, 3-1, against Minnesota for the first time since the 1995-96 season...Kaman also set a career-high with four steals.

LAC MIN

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