The Western Conference playoff race heated up on Thursday, February 26, 2026, as the Minnesota Timberwolves rolled into the Intuit Dome in Inglewood to take on the LA Clippers. Both teams entered the contest with plenty on the line: Minnesota, boasting a 36-23 record, was jostling for position in a tightly packed upper tier of the conference, while the Clippers, at 27-30, were clinging to the 10th seed and the final Play-In Tournament spot with a comfortable six-game cushion over their nearest pursuers.
For the Timberwolves, recent form had been encouraging. They arrived in Los Angeles fresh off a nail-biting 124-121 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota’s electrifying guard, had been nothing short of sensational, pouring in 34 points against Portland and averaging 34.0 points per game over his last three outings. Jaden McDaniels also shone in that contest, racking up 29 points on a red-hot 12-of-16 shooting night. Donte DiVincenzo chipped in with a valuable 19 points, including five shots from beyond the arc. The Wolves’ offense, one of the NBA’s most potent, appeared to be firing on all cylinders at just the right time.
The Clippers, meanwhile, were licking their wounds after back-to-back heartbreakers. On Sunday, they fell 111-109 to the Orlando Magic, despite a monster 37-point, eight-rebound, four-assist effort from Kawhi Leonard. Just a day later, Leonard again led the charge with 31 points in a tight three-point loss to the Lakers. However, the injury bug bit hard ahead of Thursday’s showdown: Leonard was sidelined with a lingering ankle issue, putting the onus on Bennedict Mathurin and the rest of the supporting cast to step up. Mathurin, for his part, had been on a tear himself, averaging 28.3 points per game over his last three contests and contributing 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists off the bench against Orlando.
Injury reports played a major role in shaping expectations for the night. The Timberwolves were the picture of health, with no injuries reported outside of their two-way players on G League assignment. This was a welcome change for Minnesota, which had seen its core miss significant time earlier in the season. The Clippers, on the other hand, were not as fortunate. Bradley Beal was out for the season following hip surgery, Darius Garland was sidelined with a left toe injury, and John Collins was questionable due to a head laceration and neck soreness. With Leonard also ruled out, Los Angeles faced the daunting task of taking on a surging Timberwolves squad without its leading scorer and two other key contributors.
Despite the Clippers’ injury woes, oddsmakers didn’t expect a blowout. Minnesota was installed as a 5.5 to 7.5-point favorite, with moneyline odds ranging from -210 to -282, while the Clippers were listed as +170 to +236 underdogs. The projected over/under hovered between 222.5 and 225.5 points, a nod to both teams’ offensive capabilities and the recent trend of high-scoring affairs. The season series between the two teams was knotted at one apiece: the Clippers had stunned Minnesota with a 115-96 blowout in Minneapolis on February 8, while the Timberwolves had eked out a 109-106 win at home back in December. Both games had seen the under hit, but recent form suggested the over might be in play this time around.
With Leonard out, all eyes turned to Mathurin and the Clippers’ supporting cast. According to SportsbookWire and other betting analysts, Mathurin was expected to see a significant uptick in usage, with some recommending wagers on him to exceed 29.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists. Kobe Sanders was also in line for more minutes, while Nicolas Batum and Yanic Konan Niederhauser could see expanded roles if Collins was unable to suit up. The Clippers’ defense, ranked in the league’s top 10 and allowing just 112.6 points per game, would need to be at its best to contain Edwards and Minnesota’s multi-pronged attack.
For the Timberwolves, the game represented an opportunity to solidify their playoff standing and potentially leapfrog into the conference’s top four. Edwards, currently ranked third in the league with 29.6 points per game, was expected to shoulder the scoring load once again. The Timberwolves’ recent track record as road favorites was mixed—they were just 8-12 against the spread in such situations—but their offensive firepower and newfound health gave them a clear edge on paper.
Betting models and projections offered a range of predictions, but most saw a competitive contest. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulated the game 10,000 times, gave the Clippers a 65% chance to cover the spread and projected a total score just under 240 points. Other analysts predicted a Minnesota win by a margin of 2 to 13 points, with the consensus favoring the Timberwolves but cautioning against counting out a Clippers squad that had covered the spread in five of the last eight meetings between the teams.
As tip-off approached, fans tuned in via Amazon Prime Video and FanDuel Sports Network North Extra, eager to see if the shorthanded Clippers could pull off an upset or if the Timberwolves would continue their ascent in the Western Conference hierarchy. The stage was set for a classic NBA showdown—one defined by injuries, surging stars, and playoff implications galore.
With the action still ongoing at the Intuit Dome, the outcome remains up in the air. But one thing’s for certain: both teams are leaving it all on the court as the playoff race intensifies in the West.