D’Angelo Russell scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied from an early 18-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 128-126 on Thursday in Minneapolis.
Minnesota closed the game on an 18-4 run and completed the comeback when Russell converted two foul shots with 10 seconds remaining. O.G. Anunoby’s 3-point attempt missed the mark with 0.4 seconds remaining.
Anthony Edwards had 23 points and Kyle Anderson added 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game losing skid. Jaden McDaniels scored 18 points and Jaylen Nowell had 13.
Scottie Barnes led Toronto with a season-high 29 points. Fred VanVleet had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Gary Trent Jr. scored 18 points, Anunoby added 15, and Pascal Siakam tallied 13 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
Playing the second game of a back-to-back, Minnesota struggled to keep pace with the Raptors early and trailed by 18 in the second quarter.
The Wolves gradually cut into the deficit and used a 10-0 run to move ahead 126-124 with 1:30 remaining — their first lead since early in the first quarter. Barnes scored on the next possession to tie the game at 126.
Precious Achiuwa scored 11 points for Toronto, which lost despite shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 14 of 28 (50 percent) from 3-point range. Minnesota shot 50.6 percent and 17 of 40 (42.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
Toronto held a 37-31 advantage to start the second quarter before stretching its lead to 18 on Joe Wieskamp’s trey with six minutes left in the half.
VanVleet had 18 points and seven assists in the first half for the Raptors, who took a 76-66 lead into the break. Toronto made nine 3-pointers in the half while shooting 62.8 percent from the field.
Minnesota cut the deficit to 87-83 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Russell and McDaniels midway through the third quarter.
The Raptors carried an eight-point advantage into the final quarter and moved ahead 119-105 after opening the period on a 10-4 run.
Minnesota was without both Austin Rivers (left knee contusion) and Rudy Gobert (right groin soreness) for the second consecutive game.
–Field Level Media