TORONTO — RJ Barrett shone with a remarkable 31 points, while Scottie Barnes made a notable return from injury to contribute 17 points, leading the Toronto Raptors to a much-needed victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves with a score of 110-105 on Thursday evening.
Chris Boucher also made a significant impact, scoring 22 points, and Jakob Poeltl notched up 15 points along with 12 rebounds, securing his fourth consecutive double-double. The Raptors extended their dominance over the Timberwolves at home, achieving their 20th consecutive win against Minnesota in Toronto.
For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards had a strong showing, tallying 26 points with 21 of those coming in the second half. Julius Randle supported the effort with 23 points. Edwards struggled initially, shooting just 2 for 5 in the first half, but found his rhythm in the second half with 7 successful shots out of 15 attempts.
Jaden McDaniels played well for Minnesota, finishing with 22 points, while Rudy Gobert contributed 13 points and secured 11 rebounds.
Historically, Minnesota has not triumphed in Toronto since January 21, 2004, a game notable for the outstanding performances of Sam Cassell, Kevin Garnett, and Latrell Sprewell, who led the Wolves to a 108-97 win.
Key Notes:
For the Timberwolves, their last successful road game against the Raptors was on February 14, 2021, when the Raptors were temporarily playing in Tampa, Florida, due to COVID-19 border restrictions.
On the Raptors’ side, Scottie Barnes made his return with protective eyewear after sitting out for 11 games due to a right orbital fracture. He managed to shoot 5 for 11 in 27 minutes and also provided six assists.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Barnes scored six points that fueled a 13-1 run, flipping a 95-92 deficit into a commanding 105-96 lead with just 2:33 left on the clock. Boucher ignited the run with a three-pointer, and Barrett ended it emphatically with an alley-oop dunk assisted by Gradey Dick.
In terms of performance at the free-throw line, the Raptors initially struggled, converting 5 of 9 attempts in the first half but excelled in the second half, sinking 24 of 30 free throws.
Next up, Minnesota will travel to Boston for a game on Sunday, while Toronto is set to embark on a four-game road trip, starting with a matchup against Cleveland on the same day.