Mystery wrapped in a riddle in a …

The Clippers make their first Target Center visit this season Wednesday, the second meeting in nine days between the two teams. The Clippers won 109-107 last week in Los Angeles after the Wolves had three shots — including two short ones in the final two seconds — to tie the score in the final moments.

It was the latest in a growing list of entertaining games between the teams. It's a long ways away, but wouldn't a playoff series be…?

Clippers coach Doc Rivers sounded intrigued when discussing the Wolves.

"They run, but they don't run," Rivers said. "They throw those home-run passes by [Kevin] Love, and they're fifth in fast-break points but they don't look like an athletic team. They remind me of the old Celtics and you ask, 'How are they running?' and yet they're running. But they'll use the 24 seconds [shot clock] and they'll wait and wait and wait until you break down and then they'll take advantage of it. It takes all of you to stop them."

All good things must end…

If the Wolves' romp over the Lakers last week — a victory that ended a 22-game losing streak to the 16-time NBA champs — isn't an indication that things are changing in Los Angeles, well…

The Lakers' victory over New Orleans on Tuesday was the first time since Dec. 2006 that they didn't sell out Staples Center. That stopped a 320-game, sellout streak. The Lakers on Tuesday announced attendance at 18,426, about 500 short of a capacity crowd.