RJ Barrett (left) and Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors celebrate after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO – RJ Barrett scored 31 points, Scottie Barnes added 17 points in his return from injury and the Toronto Raptors won two straight games for the first time this season by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-105 on Thursday night.
Chris Boucher scored 22 points and Jakob Poeltl had 15 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double as the Raptors beat Minnesota for the 20th straight time in Toronto.
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Anthony Edwards scored 21 of his 26 points in the second half and Julius Randle added 23 for the Timberwolves. Edwards shot 2 for 5 in the first half but made 7 of 15 attempts in the second half.
READ: NBA says Jayson Tatum traveled before game-winner against Raptors
Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels scored 22 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Minnesota hasn’t won in Toronto since Jan. 21, 2004, when Sam Cassell, Kevin Garnett and Latrell Sprewell were the Wolves’ leading scorers in a 108-97 win.
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Takeaways
Timberwolves: Minnesota’s most recent road win against Toronto came on February 14, 2021, when the Raptors played in Tampa, Florida due to border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Raptors: Barnes wore goggles in his return after missing the last 11 games with a right orbital fracture. He shot 5-for-11 and had six assists in 27 minutes.
READ: NBA: Tatum’s buzzer-beating 3 puts Celtics over Raptors in OT
Key moment
Barnes scored six points as Toronto used a 13-1 run to turn a 95-92 deficit into a 105-96 lead with 2:33 to play. Boucher started the run with a 3 and Barrett capped it with an alley-oop dunk off a pass from Gradey Dick.
Key statistics
The Raptors went 5 for 9 at the free throw line in the first half but made 24 of 30 attempts in the second half.
Next
Minnesota visits Boston on Sunday and Toronto begins a four-game road trip in Cleveland on Sunday night.
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