Sickly Clippers stumble

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Clippers led Minnesota by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, but Al Jefferson locked in and scored 11 points in three minutes to help the Timberwolves trim the deficit to four at halftime and they rolled to a 104-83 victory Friday night.

Jefferson finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds in three quarters after missing four of his first five shots.

“I settled for jumpers and missed a lot of lay-ins and shots I normally make,” Jefferson said.

“But I knew if I kept attacking I would make the shots I normally make.”

He made nine of his next 10, including a put-back dunk in the third quarter during a 19-6 run that helped the Timberwolves gain control.

The Clippers were playing their third straight game without leading scorers Corey Maggette and Chris Kaman, who were out with flu symptoms.

Injuries are nothing new for the Clippers, who have played all season without Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston.

Without Kaman inside, the Clippers were unable to slow Jefferson once he got rolling.

“They feasted in the low post,” Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said.

“Without Kaman to give us a low-post presence offensively and defensively, as the third rebounder and the third shot blocker in the league, it’s kind of hard to deal with.”

Sam Cassell led the Clippers with 17 points, 13 in the first quarter.

“We’re not complaining about it, because that’s the hand we were dealt,” Cassell said of the injuries. “So we’ve got to play it.

“But take three starters off anybody’s team and let me see how” things go.

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TONIGHT

at Cleveland, 4:30 PST, Ch. 5

Site -- Quicken Loans Arena.

Radio -- 710.

Records -- Clippers 14-29, Cavaliers 25-20.

Record vs. Cavaliers -- 0-1.

Update -- LeBron James, who scored 22 in the Cavaliers’ 103-95 win over the Clippers on Nov. 11, has a sprained right ankle and will probably be a game-time decision tonight.

-- Jonathan Abrams