The Los Angeles Clippers executed a merciless destruction of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kawhi Leonard torched one of the best defenses in the league to the point they waived the white flag with almost half of the fourth quarter to go. The game wasn’t competitive to begin with. Yet, some egos did clash after the game.

As both teams converged to exchange pleasantries, the referees suddenly blew their whistles. The Clippers’ Bennedict Mathurin and Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels were trying to get a grip on each other. It’s unclear what was said, but easy to understand the frustrations boiling over from one side of the table.

The incident stemmed from a mediocre issue. Mathurin and Naz Reid appeared to have a disagreement on which side gets to keep the game ball. They tried to battle with force before McDaniels stepped in. The former Pacers forward took exception and pushed the Timberwolves’ defensive stalwart, causing all kinds of commotion.

Jaden McDaniels didn’t have a poor night as such. He made five of his six shots, scoring 11 for the Timberwolves. However, when you lose by such margins, even the smallest provocation can be triggering. It’s not certain whether Mathurin actually did anything. He did supply the Clippers with another 20+ point game off the bench.

This was a game to forget for Minnesota. They couldn’t get near the Leonard or the Clippers. Furthermore, they were beaten at their own game. The Clippers outmuscled the Wolves, beating them with immense physicality and astounding shot-making. The only successful player for the Wolves was their ace.

Anthony Edwards matched up to the task at hand. He almost went bucket for bucket against an imperious version of Kawhi Leonard. Ant scored 36, shooting over 60% from the field. But surprisingly, offense wasn’t the troubling part for the Wolves. Their embarrassing loss came down to two factors.

The Timberwolves didn’t have an answer for Kawhi Leonard, and they couldn’t keep the ball safe for their lives.

Kawhi Leonard, Clippers teach Timberwolves a two-way lesson

The Minnesota Timberwolves can face heaps of offensive problems. However, they will always give themselves a chance at winning games with their tenacity. That culture shift has seen them achieve a period of playoff success. But tonight, they went up against the one guy who has mastered both sides of the floor like a robot. Kawhi Leonard broke everything down.

He dropped 45 points on the Timberwolves, his second consecutive 40-point performance against them. Leonard kept getting to his spots, missing only five shots from the field. However, the game turned because of the Clippers’ impeccable defensive effort. And everybody contributed.

As a team, the Clippers recorded 16 steals and four blocks against the Timberwolves tonight. They generated twice the points from turnovers and crippled the Timberwolves offense. Their focus on being disruptive led to 21 Wolves turnovers. Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. led the charge with four steals each.

And this win gives the Clippers the confidence they needed in their new group. Former All-Star Darius Garland is slowly settling in, showing improved understanding of his teammates. Moreover, Leonard’s mindset has created a lasting impression on the Clippers side. They can guard and run out in transition to score fluently.

They are now one game over .500, and right behind the Suns to take the seventh seed. This is a much different version of the Clippers than with Harden and Zubac. Dare I say it looks more organized and confident?