9:30 P.M. AT L.A. CLIPPERS • FSN, 830-AM
Preview: The Clippers (40-23) have lost consecutive games to Portland and Golden State and are 7-5 since Blake Griffin underwent elbow surgery to resolve a staph infection. They lost 106-98 to the Warriors in Oakland on Sunday afternoon before flying back to Los Angeles for Monday's game against the Wolves. The Clippers also played without sixth man Jamal Crawford, who has missed two games after suffering a calf contusion against the Wolves last week at Target Center … The Clippers won the season's first two meetings between the teams, 127-101 at Staples Center on Dec. 1 and 110-105 last week at Target Center. Clippers point guard Chris Paul had 26 points and 14 assists in the Target Center game, in which the Wolves made only one fourth-quarter field goal. Monday completes a three-game season series.
Players to watch: While the Clippers are battered and bruised, center DeAndre Jordan plays on. He has played 303 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NBA. He averaged 15.6 points and 20.1 rebounds in the 10 games before Sunday's loss. A favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, he leads the NBA in rebounds per game (14.5) and defensive rebounds (9.8). Only 13 players all-time have averaged 14.5 or more rebounds in a full season and only six have done so since 1985-86. Jordan also ranks fourth in blocked shots, at 2.3 a game … Entering Sunday's game, Paul ranked first in the league with a 4.43 assist-to-turnover ratio and second in assists at 10.1 per game.
Injuries: Wolves forwards Anthony Bennett (sprained ankle), Shabazz Muhammad (finger surgery) and Robbie Hummel (fractured hand) all are out. The Clippers list Griffin and Crawford as out. F Matt Barnes was listed as doubtful Sunday because of a strained hamstring, but played at Golden State.
JERRY ZGODA
