MINNEAPOLIS -- The Los Angeles Clippers went into Minneapolis on Sunday and did something nobody saw coming.

Without two of their newest trade deadline pickups in Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin, the Clippers dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves from start to finish in a 115-96 blowout at Target Center.

It was a statement game for a team that has struggled this season, and it came against a Minnesota squad with one of the best records in the West.

Kawhi Leonard led the way with 41 points and eight rebounds, but this was about much more than one guy going off.

The Clippers Took Over Early

Los Angeles set the tone in the first half with an 18-2 run late in the second quarter that pushed their lead to 54-42 at the break.

Minnesota looked lost on both ends of the floor, shooting just 3-of-18 from three before halftime while turning the ball over 13 times.

Anthony Edwards, who finished with 23 points, went 0-for-6 from deep in the first half and turned it over four times.

Things only got worse for the Timberwolves after that.

The Clippers closed out the third quarter on a 17-3 run to take an 80-59 lead, and the game was essentially over before the fourth quarter even started. Los Angeles led by as many as 28 points late in the game.

Total Team Effort

While Leonard was the headliner, the Clippers got help across the board.

John Collins chipped in 15 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting night, and rookie big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser also poured in 15 points in one of his best games of the season.

Kobe Sanders came off the bench and added 10 points, knocking down two big threes during the third-quarter run that sealed it.

For a team that just lost Harden and Ivica Zubac in trades, that kind of balanced scoring is exactly what they need going forward. Four players hit double figures, and the ball movement and energy showed this group still has plenty of fight left.

Why This Could Be Their Biggest Win of the Season

The Clippers sit at 25-27 on the year, still below .500 and looking up at the Western Conference playoff picture.

Minnesota dropped to 32-22 with the loss and has now dropped three of their last four, all against sub-.500 teams.

The Timberwolves were held under 100 points for just the second time all season, finishing 8-of-33 from three with 20 turnovers.

What makes this feel like such a big win is the timing. The Clippers just went through a roster shakeup at the deadline, they were missing key guys, and they still went on the road and handled a team with real championship hopes.

Leonard is averaging 27.7 points per game this season on 49.7 percent shooting, and when he plays like he did on Sunday, this team can hang with anyone.

Heading into the All-Star break, this is the kind of win that gives a group confidence that they can still make a push down the stretch.

The Clippers head to Houston on Tuesday night to take on the Rockets.

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