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Davis leads as Clippers easily dispatch Timberwolves

Dec 7, 2008 - 5:23 AM MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- All it takes for the Los Angeles Clippers to look like a playoff contender is a couple more games against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Baron Davis collected 27 points and nine assists and Zach Randolph added 21 and nine rebounds as the Clippers snapped a three-game slide with a 107-84 win over the Timberwolves on Saturday.

Marcus Camby controlled the paint with 12 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks for the Clippers, who won the battle of the boards, 53-38, en route to picking up their fourth win of the season.

"Marcus has just been solid every single night," Los Angeles coach Mike Dunleavy said. "He does what he does. He blocks shots, he rebounds defensively and offensively, he chips in with his points."

Randolph led with nine points as Los Angeles pulled to a 29-15 lead after one quarter. The Timberwolves, who were playing on the second night of a back-to-back set, never recovered from the early hole.

"I thought the game was lost in the first quarter (and the third quarter)," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "We shot 4-of-20 (in the first.)"

The Clippers extended the advantage with a strong third quarter, finishing the frame with a 16-4 run to head into the fourth up, 79-56. Davis scored 10 points during the spurt and added a 3-pointer early in the final period before making his way to the bench for the rest of the night.

Al Jefferson scored 28 points and rookie Kevin Love finished with 13 and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost five in a row.

"Ya know, (Jefferson) the beast," Dunleavy said. "But I thought that our guys made him work for everything he could get."

The Timberwolves suffered their biggest loss of the season on Friday, 113-84, against at New Jersey and carried the poor play over to Saturday. They shot just 39 percent (30-of-77) from the floor and a paltry 21-of-34 from the free-throw line.

"With (injured guard) Mike (Miller) out, our perimeters aren't able to make shots right now," Wittman said. "It puts more of a burden on the inside game and it give the other team

a chance to really attack."

The Clippers, conversely, shot 47 percent (38-of-81) from the floor and 25-of-30 from the line.

Mardy Collins had his best game since coming over from the New York Knicks as part of the deal that brought Randolph in, pouring in 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. It was his highest

scoring total since his rookie season in 2006-07.

"I thought that Mardy Collins gave us a nice lift off the bench ... gave us some solid minutes," Dunleavy said.