Jones, Wiggins deliver late in Timberwolves' victory
MINNEAPOLIS -- Tyus Jones hit a 3-pointer with 19.5 seconds remaining and Andrew Wiggins hit a pair of late free throws to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 112-109 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors.
Jones, Minnesota's backup point guard, played valuable minutes down the stretch and connected on the game's biggest shot. Wiggins' free throws extended Minnesota's lead to three with 10.6 seconds to play, and a desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer by Toronto's Kyle Lowry hit the side of the backboard.
Wiggins hit a jumper with 47.6 seconds remaining that gave Minnesota a 106-105 lead. Toronto couldn't counter when Lowry's shot on the following possession fell short and into the hands of Minnesota's Shabazz Muhammad.
After Muhammad made one of two free throws, DeMar DeRozan hit a tough layup at the other end to tie the game at 107 with 29.5 seconds to play.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Timberwolves (20-33). Toronto (32-22) lost for the first time in three games.
Wiggins, a Toronto native, had a game-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Teammate Karl-Anthony Towns notched another double-double -- his 41st of the season -- with 29 points and 14 rebounds. Only Houston's James Harden (43) has more double-doubles than Towns this season.
DeRozan paced Toronto with 30 points. In two games since missing four with an ankle injury, DeRozan scored 61 points.
Lowry chipped in 20 points for the Raptors, and DeMarre Carroll had 19 points and nine rebounds.
Minnesota, which trailed for nearly the entire first half, managed to battle back and take a brief 71-70 lead midway through the third quarter. The Timberwolves regained the lead when Towns converted a 3-point play. It was Minnesota's first lead since an early 6-4 edge.
The lead didn't last long, though. Toronto went on an 8-2 run, including six points from Jonas Valanciunas, to regain the lead -- and control of the game.
Shooting guard Lance Stephenson made his presence felt in his Timberwolves debut. Stephenson, signed earlier Wednesday to a 10-day contract, had six points and a pair of rebounds in eight minutes of action in the first half.
NOTES: The Timberwolves signed G Lance Stephenson to a 10-day contract Wednesday. The 26-year-old Stephenson began the season with the New Orleans Pelicans but was waived Nov. 7 after sustaining a groin injury that required surgery. Stephenson has averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in his career. ... Raptors F Patrick Patterson (left knee contusion) missed his third straight game Wednesday. Patterson is averaging 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds this season. ... Minnesota announced late Tuesday night that F Adreian Payne will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with thrombocytopenia, a condition of low platelet count. The team said Payne's recovery prognosis is good.