Clippers miss a big chance

The perfect way for an imperfect team to come back from a walloping?

Play host to the NBA’s worst road team the next evening.

The perfect way for an imperfect team to mess up that perfect scenario?

Lose again, as the Clippers did against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 99-96, on Saturday at Staples Center in front of 17,807.

In a matchup between two teams now hunting for ping-pong balls instead of playoff seedings, the Clippers led by as many as 13 points before faltering badly.

The Clippers (20-41) and Minnesota (14-48) both figure to be among the teams jockeying for position come June’s draft day.

“Any time you get dusted pretty badly, then the best course of action is to go and play again,” Coach Mike Dunleavy said before the game, some of the bitter taste remaining from his team being flattened by nearly 40 points against the Lakers a night earlier.

Minnesota took a lead shortly into the second quarter, frittered it away much of the next two quarters and then regained it for good late in the fourth quarter.

A night after outlasting the Sacramento Kings, the Timberwolves doubled their road wins in just two nights to four.

Randy Foye made two baskets in the last 1:15 of the game as the Clippers saw their lead completely evaporate.

With the Clippers needing a three-pointer to tie it, Corey Maggette instead took and made a 20-foot jumper to bring the Clippers within one point with three seconds left. Cuttino Mobley airballed a three-point shot as time expired that would have tied the score.

Al Jefferson amassed a game-high 30 points to go along with 12 rebounds.

The Clippers have been short-handed the entire season. Saturday, they were just short.

Brevin Knight sat out with a sore neck. Dan Dickau and Andre Barrett, recently signed to a 10-day contract, suddenly turned into the only available point guards. Both were hard-pressed to guard a larger Foye (26 points, six assists).

In a battle pitting talented centers on underwhelming teams, Jefferson outlasted Chris Kaman (16 points and 13 rebounds), who is still playing on restricted minutes because of an achy lower back.

Maggette scored a team-high 29 points for the Clippers and made all 10 of his free throws. Al Thornton added 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

The Clippers have another favorable team on the horizon.

They play the Heat in Miami on Monday. At 11-50, the Heat is the only team with a worst record than the Timberwolves.

“It’s going to be easier for us to have a chance at winning,” Kaman said. “It doesn’t mean we’ll win, though.”

It’s the first of a five-game trip, the Clippers’ longest remaining journey this season.

Culminating with Saturday’s game, the Clippers had played 11 of 12 games at Staples Center, going 3-9 in the stretch.

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jonathan.abrams@latimes.com