Clippers beat Timberwolves, 110-106, after battle of free throws

The Clippers stepped to the free-throw line time after time after time, and it had nothing to do with DeAndre Jordan.

Well, almost nothing.

The notoriously poor free-throw shooter was not involved in the Clippers’ parade of free throws except making them necessary after coming up with one of the big defensive plays that helped the team complete a 110-106 come-from-behind victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night at Target Center.

Jordan swatted a short jump shot by Zach LaVine and Clippers small forward Luc Mbah a Moute contested a subsequent inbounds pass by LaVine, leading to a turnover that gave the Clippers the ball with a one-point lead and 24 seconds left.

They closed it out, giving them a second consecutive victory in a game that appeared theirs to lose.

“We made this uglier than it had to be,” said point guard Chris Paul, who had 14 points, five assists and five turnovers in his return from inflamed rib cartilage that had sidelined him for 21/2 games, “but the good thing about it is we got some stops down the stretch.”

Paul and teammate J.J. Redick, who returned from a two-game absence caused by a sprained right ankle, combined to make only six of 23 shots, but Redick was perfect when he needed to be.

Redick and Jamal Crawford combined to make 11 consecutive free throws over the final 22 seconds, each of which was needed with the Clippers continually fouling the Timberwolves to avoid letting them take a potentially tying three-point shot. Minnesota made all eight of its free throws over the same span.

“We were going to foul the rest of the game,” Coach Doc Rivers said. “I’m a believer in it. I just think, why give anybody a chance to make a three and they have shotmakers on their team.”

The tradeoff in free throws was finally broken when Timberwolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns intentionally fouled Jordan with 4.4 seconds left, not realizing it would result in the Clippers being awarded one free throw and the ball.

Compounding the blunder, Jordan didn’t have to shoot the free throw. Redick made it and the Clippers inbounded the ball to Crawford, who was fouled and made his final two free throws to give L.A. a four-point cushion.

“Rookie mistake,” said Jordan, who had 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, “but I don’t think that’s what cost them the game.”

Blake Griffin had 16 points and 11 rebounds, including the layup that gave the Clippers a 99-98 lead with 30 seconds left, but he wasn’t in a good mood after a game in which he made seven of 17 shots and found his way onto the highlight reel by getting dunked on by Kevin Garnett in transition.

Garnett earned a technical foul on the third-quarter play for barking at the Clippers afterward. Griffin said he didn’t hear what Garnett said.

Griffin said about the only positive takeaway was that the Clippers finished a game in which they were sloppy with the ball and continually missed easy shots.

“If you want to find a positive from this game, I guess that’s it,” Griffin said. “Obviously, we’ll take the win. But didn’t play well enough. We should’ve been much better than that.”

LaVine finished with 21 points for the Timberwolves, who dropped their 14th consecutive game against the Clippers. It’s the Clippers’ longest winning streak against any team in franchise history.

They needed to make 15 of 15 free throws in the fourth quarter to get there, including a display in the final minute that led to some mental eye rolling by their coach.

“That 30 seconds lasted a good 4 hours and 20 minutes and all the restaurants are closed now,” Rivers said. “My gosh.”