TMJF: Clippers 91, Wolves 87

Stat Line: 29 minutes, 6-12 FG, 2-2 3FG, 3-3 FT, 17 pts, 5 assts, 1 stl, 2 TOs.

Due to a class review session, I didn't attend this one as I had planned. Law school is no fun around this time. Last year, I missed a Metallica concert to study for my Civil Procedure exam; this year, I missed one of Jonny Flynn's best games to study for Bankruptcy.

Flynn was absolutely masterful in the first quarter, with ten points, three assists, and a steal. One of those dimes was perhaps his finest pass of the season, a perfect little behind-the-back bouncer in tight quarters to Oleksiy Pecherov. Flynn also made up for a couple of mistakes -- a turnover and a play in which he ran into traffic while streaking for an outlet pass that was ultimatley intercepted -- by draining a 26-foot three-pointer on the next possession. It was his second three of the quarter, and he also scored on a floater and a pair of free throws.

The second quarter was evidence of how frustrating rookies can be, however. After sitting the first five minutes or so of the second period after playing all but a few seconds of the first, Flynn returned to the court for three minutes, recording two fouls, a turnover, and a wild shot in the process.

He scored five points in seven minutes to start the third quarter on a drive, a jumper, and a technical free throw. He was replaced, as he always is, by Ramon Sessions, who did nothing notable offensively while repeatedly getting torched on the defensive end by Sebastian Telfair. Bassy scored on four straight Clipper possessions at one point, as the Wolves went up from three up to three down with Flynn on the bench.

Flynn re-entered at the 10:26 mark and scored on a lightning-quick drive with 8:45 left, Minnesota's only points over a six-and-a-half minute stretch. Perhaps because of Minnesota's offensive struggles, perhaps because of one tough shot he took, Flynn was yanked in the middle of that stretch and didn't re-enter (this time for Corey Brewer) until 1:12 remained, about 40 seconds after Sessions burned a key Wolves possession by jumping in the air with no real plan, and throwing the ball to LA's Marcus Camby. On the possession immediately following Flynn's re-entry, he sliced through two defenders on a high pick and found Ryan Gomes for a wide-open that cut the lead to two.

Forgive me for the play-by-play, but this was a night where coach Kurt Rambis' substitution patterns with regard to his point guards made less sense than it usually does. After a hot-shooting first half, the Wolves had gone cold; their main offensive threat, Al Jefferson, was struggling, and Flynn was the only guy creating offense for himself. And yet he sat crucial minutes. It's true that the Clips extended their fourth quarter lead from three to eight with Flynn on the floor, but there's no way that the kid was responsible for that.

Frustrating night for Flynn fans in that regard, and frustrating for Wolves fans, whose team has now lost 13 straight. Los Angeles, a mediocre club at their best, was bad tonight and Minnesota played relatively well, at least for them, and they still lost. They could play for a long time without Kevin Love and not win again. Hopefully, Love will be back in the two weeks he says it will be.