Clippers center Brook Lopez looks on after fouling during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, left, goes up to shoot over Clippers guard Kris Dunn, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles while Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, center, drives to the basket while Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) and forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Clippers guard Darius Garland looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Show Caption
1 of 5
Clippers center Brook Lopez looks on after fouling during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
MINNEAPOLIS — Kawhi Leonard had 41 points and eight rebounds, and the Clippers pulled away to beat the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves, 115-96, on Sunday afternoon.
John Collins had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser also scored 15 points. The Clippers took command with a 17-3 run, closing out the third quarter.
Anthony Edwards scored 23 points to lead Minnesota, which has lost three of its past four games, all to sub-.500 opponents. Julius Randle finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Rudy Gobert added 10 points and seven rebounds. Minnesota shot just 8 for 33 from 3-point range and committed 20 turnovers while being held under 100 points for just the second time this season.
Ayo Dosunmu, making his Timberwolves debut after being acquired in a trade with Chicago, had 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting (3 for 7 from 3-point range) to go with two steals.
The Timberwolves were coming off one of their most frustrating losses of the season, when they blew an 18-point third-quarter lead in a home loss to the lowly New Orleans Pelicans.
The first half was more of the same for Minnesota. Leonard scored 24 points and helped key an 18-2 run late in the second quarter that gave the Clippers a 54-42 lead. That included a stretch in which the Clippers scored 11 consecutive points on a 3-pointer by Kris Dunn, two free throws and a layup by Leonard, a dunk by Collins and a driving layup by Dunn.
Minnesota made just 3 of 18 3-point attempts and committed 13 turnovers in the first half. Edwards shot 0 for 6 from behind the arc and turned it over a team-high four times before halftime.
The Clippers started the second half on a 7-0 run to go ahead 61-42 early in the third quarter. Collins and Leonard each made a jump shot, and Derrick Jones Jr. punctuated the run with a 3-pointer.
The Timberwolves used a 14-2 run to pull within seven points after Edwards made a dunk to cut the deficit to 63-56 with 6:21 left in the third quarter.
Leonard and the rest of his Clippers teammates did not allow Minnesota to get any closer. The Clippers finished the third quarter on the aforementioned 17-3 run to seize an 80-59 advantage. Kobe Sanders made two 3-pointers during the run.
The Clippers led by at least 18 points throughout the fourth quarter. Jordan Miller made a pair of free throws to give the Clippers their largest lead of the game at 28 points with 3:10 remaining.
Leonard finished the game 14 for 30 from the field (5 for 11 from 3-point range) and 8 for 10 from the free-throw line to go with four steals.
The Clippers played without their two key trade deadline acquisitions. Darius Garland, who arrived from Cleveland in the James Harden trade, remained sidelined with a sprained big toe on his right foot. The Clippers had already said wingman Bennedict Mathurin, picked up in a swap with the Indiana Pacers, wouldn’t debut with his new team until Tuesday in Houston.
UP NEXT
The Clippers play the first of two in a row in Houston on Tuesday at 5 p.m. PT.