Timberwolves at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors own the longest winning streak in the NBA at a franchise-record 14 in a row and are attempting to head into the All-Star break with the run still intact. The Raptors, who have two games left before the break, will try to avoid a letdown when they host a Minnesota Timberwolves squad that may have finally found a winning formula.
Toronto played without All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry on Saturday and had to hold off a late rally but managed to turn away visiting Brooklyn 119-118 on the second night of a back-to-back to extend its franchise-best run. The Raptors, who visit the Nets on Wednesday and come out of the break with four straight at home, worked their way into the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference with the recent run despite Lowry (whiplash) joining center Marc Gasol (hamstring) and guard Norman Powell (finger) on the injury list. The Timberwolves were losers of 13 straight before a roster that was remade at the trade deadline last week hosted the Western Conference-power Los Angeles Clippers and buried a franchise-record 26 3-pointers in a 142-115 triumph on Saturday. "It's only one game," Minnesota coach Ryan Saunders told reporters. "There's going to be growing pains, there's going to be nights that you don't make 26 threes and you don't have 39 assists. I understand that. But I also like that you can kind of see glimpses. It makes you positive about what could be to come."
TIME: 7:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS North, Sportsnet One
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (16-35): Minnesota's most notable acquisition - point guard D'Angelo Russell - has yet to make his team debut but newcomers Malik Beasley (7-of-13), Juan Hernangomez (3-of-3) and James Johnson (2-of-3) combined to knock down 12 3-pointers while rookie Jordan McLaughlin, who is getting extra playing time with Russell yet to debut and Shabazz Napier moved out at the deadline, went 11-of-15 from the floor en route to a season-high 24 points. "We've got a great group of guys," Beasley told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "(President) Gersson (Rosas) said it's about patience, getting the right guys and building a chemistry together - and we did that in one day." The Timberwolves scored 81 points in the first half - a team record - and their 39 assists - led by McLaughlin's season-high 11 - marked a season best.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (39-14): Toronto hasn't had much trouble overcoming injuries this season thanks to the depth of its roster, and Fred VanVleet took charge with Lowry out on Saturday by scoring 10 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. Rookie shooting guard Matt Thomas got some extra run with Lowry out and responded with a season-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 22 minutes off the bench. "He played great," Raptors coach Nick Nurse told reporters of Thomas. "He came in there and like always, every time he rises up, you think it's going in and he banged a bunch of them in. That was a big lift."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Timberwolves C Karl-Anthony Towns collected 22 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists Saturday in his fourth straight double-double.
2. Raptors SG Terence Davis is averaging 19.8 points in four games this month and is 17-of-28 from 3-point range in that span.
3. Toronto earned a 122-112 win at Minnesota on Jan. 18 - its fourth straight victory in the series.