THE WEEK AHEAD: 2 GAMES

Wednesday vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m. -- The Clippers handled Kevin Garnett, and with seldom-used Tremaine Fowlkes hounding him, no less, in the first meeting between the teams Dec. 7. The rematch probably won’t be as easy for the struggling Clippers as that 16-point victory was.

Saturday vs. Sacramento, 7:30 p.m., Channel 5 -- And then it gets tougher for the Clippers, who have lost twice already this season to the Pacific Division-leading Kings, whose swagger is growing by the day as they try to at last become kings of the Western Conference.

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