George scores 32, Clippers outshoot Minnesota in 126-115 win

MINNEAPOLIS — Paul George had 32 points and eight assists, and Reggie Jackson scored a season-high 29 points as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-115 on Wednesday night.

George shot 11 of 18, including 4 of 8 from long distance, as Los Angeles had its best shooting night of the season and won its second straight game. The Clippers shot 60.3 percent from the field and made a season-high 21 3-pointers on 36 attempts.

Nicholas Batum added 20 points and Terance Mann had a season-high 17 points off the bench, including a career-best three 3s.

Anthony Edwards scored 29 points for Minnesota, which has lost four of five. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Timberwolves were without D’Angelo Russell, who was sidelined with a right ankle sprain.

Minnesota also had one of its better shooting nights overall, finishing at 45.7 percent and going 14 for 40 from beyond the arc in the first of two straight games between the teams.

Two of the worst shooting teams in the league traded blows for three quarters before Los Angeles took control late in the third.

The Clippers entered the game shooting 41.3 percent from the field this season, 26th in the league. Minnesota was right behind at 41.1 percent, tied with Oklahoma City. Only Dallas and Detroit have been worse.

MLB

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey plans to announce his retirement today, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision.

The Giants said last month that they would exercise Posey’s $22 million club option for the 2022 season as long as the veteran catcher wanted to keep playing after a stellar year.

Posey hinted during the playoffs he might be done — the seven-time All-Star ready to embrace more family time with four young children at home.

“I’m definitely just going to take some time with my wife, talk with her, be able to be full-time dad of four kids for the first time in a while,” Posey said.

NFL

BEREA, Ohio — Odell Beckham Jr.’s father is upset with Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield for not throwing the ball to his wide-open son.

Well, OBJ’s all alone again.

Beckham was excused from practice by the Browns, who are now deciding whether to cut ties with the polarizing wide receiver or see if he and Mayfield can move forward together.

The latest firestorm involving Beckham came Tuesday when Odell Beckham Sr. shared a video on social media — hours before the trade deadline — highlighting times when Mayfield didn’t throw the ball to the three-time Pro Bowler.

Following practice, Mayfield said he was surprised — not hurt — by the video, which has caused a rift with the team and could lead to the receiver’s release.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

The NCAA denied an appeal by Oklahoma State in an infractions case, meaning the Cowboys will be banned from the postseason next spring — a decision that prompted a tearful coach Mike Boynton to declare there is no point in cooperating with the the organization.

Last year, an NCAA infractions committee hit the Cowboys with a one-year postseason ban and other penalties after former assistant coach Lamont Evans accepted up to $22,000 so he could help steer athletes to certain financial advisers. Evans was arrested as part of a federal corruption investigation in 2017, and he pleaded guilty in 2019.