Field Level Media
Oct 24, 2018
Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points and added five rebounds to help the undefeated Toronto Raptors defeat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 112-105 on Wednesday night.
The Raptors have opened the season with five straight wins for the second time in franchise history, matching their start in 2015-16.
Kyle Lowry had his third consecutive double-double for Toronto with 13 points and 10 assists. Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and nine rebounds, Serge Ibaka scored 15 points and Norman Powell had 10 points in 13 minutes off the bench.
The Raptors have won 15 consecutive home games against the Timberwolves, who last won in Toronto on Jan. 21, 2004.
Jimmy Butler led the Timberwolves with 23 points and six steals while Derrick Rose had 16, Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points with eight rebounds and Taj Gibson had 13. Jeff Teague contributed 12 points and nine assists for Minnesota, and Anthony Tolliver chipped in with 11.
Minnesota shooting guard Josh Okogie, starting for Andrew Wiggins (out with a bruised quadriceps), scored 10 points (4-for-14 shooting) and grabbed 11 rebounds.
The Raptors took a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter and increased it to 16 on a 3-pointer by OG Anunoby with 9:24 to play. Lowry's layup made the lead 17 with 5:12 to play.
The Timberwolves cut the deficit to five points on Butler's 3-pointer and Towns' 10-footer with 1:16 left at 106-101. Leonard's floating jumper with 53.7 seconds to go extended the margin to seven.
The Raptors were ahead by as many as 13 points before taking a 26-19 lead out of the first quarter. Leonard led scorers with 11 first-quarter points.
The Timberwolves used a 13-0 run to lead 27-26 with 9:59 left in the second quarter on a 21-foot jumper by Gorgui Dieng.
The Raptors scored the next nine points to take charge. Ibaka's dunk with 2:51 left in the first half put Toronto ahead 51-42. Toronto took a 57-48 lead into the intermission led by Leonard's 18 points. Rose paced Minnesota with 10 at the break.
Toronto led by 10 points with a 7:10 left in the third quarter when Ibaka dunked on a setup from Lowry. The Timberwolves used an 8-0 run with Okogie hitting two 3-pointers to cut the deficit to two points with 5:26 to play in the third. Valanciunas hit a 3-pointer to close the third-quarter scoring and give Toronto an 83-74 lead.
--Field Level Media