Minnesota Timberwolves: 3 takeaways from blowout loss to LA Clippers

Takeaway No. 2: Foul trouble derails the Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota jumped out to the early lead behind the hot shooting, but the Clippers kept it close in the first half because of the Wolves’ foul issues. Towns, Edwards, McDaniels, and Vanderbilt all had three fouls by the half, and newly-inserted starter Taurean Prince had two.

All those crucial players played reduced minutes, which kept Minnesota from pulling away. The Wolves continued to foul as the lead evaporated in the early third quarter.

The Wolves had no composure. When the fouls started to go against them midway through the second quarter, the offensive flow vanished and shots stopped falling. They compounded fouls with missed defensive assignments, bad turnovers and more fouls.

The officiating was absolutely questionable. Certain ticky-tack contact was called continuously while there were times heavy contact was met with no whistle. And the Timberwolves absolutely have a gripe about the 33-16 foul discrepancy in the game, which led to the Clippers’ 26-5 advantage in points from the free throw line.

What they don’t have is an excuse for letting the officiating completely take them out of their game. Referees will miss calls, sometimes for entire games, but the Wolves lost this game by losing their composure for the entire second half.