Clippers Give Minnesota Soft Spot to Land, 98-82

The Minnesota Timberwolves got it right Saturday. No muss, no fuss.

How could they miss against the Clippers?

One night after a 17-point loss against the Lakers, the Timberwolves put on a comprehensive display of team basketball during a 98-82 victory over the Clippers before a sellout crowd of 19,424 in Staples Center.

Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 38 minutes to lead the Timberwolves to their 50th victory in their 74th game. Latrell Sprewell scored 18 points, one of five Timberwolves with 10 or more.

Already without Quentin Richardson and Chris Wilcox because of back spasms and a strained Achilles’ tendon, respectively, the Clippers lost Corey Maggette and Coach Mike Dunleavy when they were ejected in the third quarter.

Almost out of options, the Clippers turned to rookie Chris Kaman, who had a career-best 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Elton Brand, who had 22 points. Maggette had 17 points in 31 minutes before being kicked out for arguing a non-call with 2:01 left in the third.

“It gets frustrating for our guys when they don’t think they’re getting the respect of the referees and it boils over sometimes,” Dunleavy said after the Clippers’ seventh consecutive loss.

Maggette did not speak to reporters after the game, so Dunleavy attempted to explain what led to the ejections.

“You can throw me out anytime because I say enough stuff,” said Dunleavy, who was ejected after coming to Maggette’s defense. “But I didn’t think he deserved to get thrown out. I don’t know what he said. One ‘T’ is fine, but two?”

As he was for much of his five-season stay with the Clippers, Minnesota center Michael Olowokandi was a non-factor in his first game against his old team. Predictably, he was booed when he entered the game to start the second quarter and each time he touched the ball. The only time he was cheered was when he was whistled for a second-quarter foul against Brand.

Olowokandi had seven points in 12 minutes and said before the game that he had no hard feelings about the Clippers. He signed a three-season deal worth $16.2 million last summer with the Timberwolves.

“I didn’t think anything was going to happen overnight with the Clippers,” he said before the game. “They’re still a work in progress.”

He said his five seasons with the Clippers was a learning experience. “As far as getting a chance to learn the game, this was as good an opportunity was any.”

Olowokandi was there for the high-water mark in recent Clipper history, April 2, 2002, the day before the wave crested and fell back with a crash.

The Clippers had a 37-37 record before leaving for Salt Lake City, where they would lose to the Utah Jazz, 99-87, and Olowokandi would sound off on the impact looming free agency for so many players was having on the team’s morale.

The Clippers have a 56-108 record since that game. They are 27-47 this season and will miss the playoffs for the 17th time in the 20 seasons since owner Donald Sterling moved them to Los Angeles from San Diego.