Wiggins helps Wolves stun Raptors, 112-109
MINNEAPOLIS — Andrew Wiggins scored 31 points against his hometown team, Tyus Jones hit a three-pointer with 19.5 seconds left and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Toronto Raptors, 112-109, in National Basketball Association action Wednesday night.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 29 points and 14 rebounds and Wiggins hit 11 of 19 shots to help the Timberwolves snap a four-game losing streak. Minnesota committed just eight turnovers, and Shabazz Muhammad scored 22 points off the bench.
DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points and DeMarre Carroll hit all five of his treys and finished with 19 points and nine boards for the Raptors, who led by 13 points in the first half. Kyle Lowry added 20 points and Toronto shot 53 per cent from the field, but Lowry missed a potential tying 3 at the buzzer.
The Raptors entered the night with a top-five offence, but coach Dwane Casey has been harping on them to play better defence. They are just 10-14 after a 22-8 start, weathering several key injuries along the way to dip into third place in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto shot 60 per cent in the first half, finding Carroll for open three after open three to take a 13point lead. But their defence couldn’t hold it.
Minnesota fought back in the third quarter and led 71-70 midway through the period, and Wiggins played some tremendous defence on DeRozan in the fourth to keep the Wolves in it. After forcing a tough mid-range pull-up, Wiggins came back and hit a turnaround fallaway for a 106-105 lead with 47.6 seconds to play.
DeRozan tied the game at 107 on a tough drive through contact from Towns, but Jones drilled a three and Wiggins hit two big free throws to help the Wolves hold on.