NBA Notes: Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, Blazers, Deni Avdija, Timberwolves

Clippers

The Clippers fell to the Thunder 128-110 on Wednesday, missing a chance to strengthen their position in the Western Conference play-in race.

Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 20 points, extending his streak to 56 consecutive games with at least 20. Brook Lopez added 16, but the Clippers couldn’t recover from an early deficit and dropped to eighth in the West at 40-40.

Los Angeles had been playing well, winning seven of nine and going 35-18 since just before Christmas, but this one slipped away early. Oklahoma City built a 25-point lead behind a big first half from Chet Holmgren, and the Clippers never seriously threatened after that.

The absence of Darius Garland, who sat out to manage a toe injury, was noticeable. He has yet to play in back-to-back games since arriving in a midseason deal.

The Clippers now head to Portland for a pivotal matchup Friday. The winner is likely to secure the No. 8 seed, while the loser could fall to ninth and face a tougher path through the play-in tournament. Los Angeles also needs one more win to extend its streak of consecutive winning seasons to 15.

Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers dropped a 112-101 decision to the Spurs on Wednesday, falling for the second straight game after a brief three-game win streak.

Deni Avdija led Portland with 27 points, while Scoot Henderson added 20, but the Blazers couldn’t keep pace with a balanced Spurs attack that featured six players in double figures.

Portland now sits at 40-40, holding ninth place in the West and a 2.5-game cushion over Golden State entering the final weekend of the regular season.

The Blazers were competitive early but couldn’t overcome key Spurs runs. San Antonio closed the first quarter on an 8-0 burst and later used a 13-2 run late in the third to take control.

Defensively, Portland struggled to contain De’Aaron Fox, who scored 25 points and set the tone early. The Blazers also had trouble generating consistent offense as the game wore on.

With the play-in picture tightening, Portland will need to regroup quickly to maintain its position.

Timberwolves

The Timberwolves fell to the Magic 132-120 on Wednesday, dropping their fifth game in seven outings as they navigated a heavily shorthanded lineup.

Terrence Shannon Jr. delivered a breakout performance with a career-high 33 points, including 29 in the second half. He shot 11-of-14 from the field and hit five of seven from three, adding five assists.

Jaden McDaniels returned from a knee injury and scored 18 points in just 19 minutes, providing a positive sign for Minnesota.

Still, the Timberwolves were without several key contributors. Anthony Edwards (knee), Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert all sat out, along with multiple starters from the previous game.

Minnesota kept things close early before Orlando pulled away late in the first half and broke the game open with a 22-6 run in the third quarter.

Already locked into a playoff spot, the Timberwolves appear focused on getting healthy ahead of the postseason, though recent results haven’t gone their way.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.