CLIPPERS 95, TIMBERWOLVES 82: Blake Griffin had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Caron Butler scored 17 points as Los Angeles defeated host Minnesota.

Mo Williams scored 14 points and DeAndre Jordan grabbed 12 rebounds as the Clippers moved within one game of the idle Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific Division race.

Nikola Pekovic scored 17 points, Anthony Randolph added 16 points and Michael Beasley added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their eighth straight game and were playing without star Kevin Love after he suffered a concussion one night earlier.

Butler had five of the Clippers’ 12 3-point baskets, including one that gave Los Angeles a 66-53 lead midway through the third quarter.

Minnesota used a 9-0 spurt later in the quarter and cut its deficit to three early in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles responded with nine unanswered points as part of a 20-4 run over the next 8 1/2 minutes.

Griffin slammed home back-to-back dunks to make it 82-70 with 8:36 remaining. Kenyon Martin’s basket concluded the surge to make it 93-74 with three minutes remaining.

Love was injured during Wednesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets and spent the night in a Denver hospital. Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman was unsure prior to the game if the All-Star forward would play again this season.

J.J. Barea had 10 points and 11 assists and Martell Webster scored 10 points for the Timberwolves, who were eliminated from the playoff race.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Williams had missed 11 consecutive games with a left big toe injury. … The double-double was Beasley’s fourth of the season and first since Feb. 7 … Griffin has 12 or more rebounds in seven of the last 10 games. … Minnesota guard Wayne Ellington (back) missed his second consecutive contest.