Wiggins, Timberwolves Fall To Raptors 114-105
TORONTO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points and Kyle Lowry added 21 as the Toronto Raptors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-105 on Wednesday night for a franchise record-tying ninth straight home victory.
DeRozan had eight points in the final quarter while Lowry scored 12 as the Raptors (38-18) pulled away over the closing minutes to match a home winning streak set back in 1999.
The Raptors will have a chance to better the mark on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Andrew Wiggins had 26 points, four rebounds and three assists for the Timberwolves (18-40), while Gorgui Dieng added 21 points and eight rebounds.
With game tied at 101 and just over 3 minutes remaining, first Lowry, then DeRozan hit 3-pointers from the corner to give the Raptors a six-point lead.
After Dieng had a basket, Lowry nailed hit another 3 with 53 seconds to go to make it 110-105.
Wiggins' basket cut the lead back to five before DeRozan's corner 3 put away the game.
The Timberwolves had fought back from a nine-point deficit early in the fourth with an 11-2 run to knot the game at 101, led by back-to-back three-point plays by Dieng.
The Raptors led 87-86 after three quarters but lost a key shooter for the stretch run. With 1:47 to go in the third, Terrence Ross was given a second technical foul and ejected after protesting a charging call as he went up court against Minnesota's Tyus Jones.
Toronto was up 61-58 at halftime as the two teams played as though defense was optional. Minnesota shot 58 percent from the field while the Raptors shot at a 55 percent clip.
Wiggins led all scorers in the first half with 18 points on 7-for-9 from the field, including two 3s.
The Raptors led 37-28 after the first quarter as Toronto closed it on a 27-9 run.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: G Ricky Rubio, who came into the night ranked fifth in the NBA with 8.8 assists per game, had 12. . The loss dropped Minnesota's road record to 8-20. . The Timberwolves shot 6 for 10 on 3s, compared to 10 for 26 by Toronto.
Raptors: Toronto's bench had 40 points to 25 for the Timberwolves. . The Raptors also led in points in the paint, 56-40. . The Raptors are 28-10 when they score at least 100 points.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Visit New Orleans on Saturday night.
Raptors: Host Cleveland on Friday night.
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