Gameday: Wolves at L.A. Clippers

Last update: November 2, 2009 - 7:10 AM

Preview: The Clippers, playing without injured No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin, are the NBA's only 0-4 team after Saturday's 94-84 home loss to Dallas. Griffin was the consensus pick for NBA Rookie of the Year until he came down wrong on his left leg during a preseason game and was later diagnosed with a kneecap stress fracture that is expected to sideline him for at least the next five weeks. ...The Wolves won the season series 2-1 a year ago. Both victories were at Staples Center after the Clippers had so thoroughly routed the Wolves at Target Center in December that coach Randy Wittman got fired before the next game.

Players to watch: Clippers center Chris Kaman, who played only 31 games last season, scored a career-high 27 points and had 11 rebounds and he is leading his team in scoring (22.0 ppg), rebounds (10 rpg) and minutes per game (41.0) through the first four games. ... Former Wolves Craig Smith and Sebastian Telfair now play for the Clippers after last summer's trade that sent them and Mark Madsen to L.A. for Quentin Richardson. Telfair played almost all of the fourth quarter in Saturday's loss to the Mavs. He is averaging 6.3 points and 2.8 assists in 17.8 minutes; Smith is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.8 minutes.

Injuries: Griffin and Wolves forward Kevin Love (fractured hand) are out.

JERRY ZGODA

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