Wolves vs. Raptors Final Score: Wolves get crushed late in the game

The Minnesota Timberwolves traveled across the border after a three-day layoff to take on the game Toronto Raptors. While they had been on the right side of injury luck for the last week plus, it was the exact opposite tonight as Scottie Barnes returned from injury as Toronto looked to get back into the win column. On the Minnesota side, Mike Conley missed the game with a toe injury. The Wolves looked to keep their good vibes going, extend their winning streak to three and win in Toronto for the first time since 2004.

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The Wolves started the game with Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaden McDaniels getting into the passing lanes and disrupting the Raptors offense as they combined for three steals in their first stint. Despite the fast break opportunities, the Wolves were unable to convert on many of their attempts as they shot just 31.6% overall in the frame.

The Raptors had the exact opposite experience, as while the Wolves struggled at the point of attack, they got a lot of easy layups en route to shooting 78% in the quarter and scoring 24 points in the paint. Despite their poor shooting, the Wolves remained fluid with free throws, going 13/16 from the line and being in the bonus for over six minutes. The Raptors caught fire at the end of the first, ending the quarter on a 14-5 run to take a 32-27 lead.

The Raptors came back down to earth a few times in the quarter when they finally started missing some shots. Unfortunately, the Wolves continued their poor shooting and were only able to keep up with the Raptors. The tumultuous period for both teams led to a close, 52-51 Raptors heading into halftime. Julius Randle led the way for the Wolves with 14 points and went 7/10 from the free throw line, and Jaden McDaniels added 11 points and 5 rebounds to the Wolves total. RJ Barrett and Chris Boucher off the bench helped the Raptors gain their slim advantage heading into the 2nd half.

After being quiet for much of the game, Ant picked up his 4th foul, which was what he needed to wake up. He hit back-to-back threes to start the third and scored 11 points in the frame. The Wolves got their lead up to seven during the quarter, but the Raptors weren’t going to go away quietly. They continued to keep pace with the Wolves throughout the period. Minnesota got off to the hot start, but then went cold as the Raptors continued to keep it close. After a back-and-forth ending the 3rd, DDV hit a three with seconds left on the clock to give Minnesota a 79-77 lead.

The 4th quarter was back and forth for much of the first seven minutes before Rudy Gobert got a three-second foul after being visibly frustrated that he didn’t get the ball on a post-up. After that point, the Raptors took over the game and put the Wolves away. Everything unraveled down the stretch and while the Wolves had their chances, they could never get over the hump. Toronto’s streak continues as they drop this one 110-105.

Key takeaways

Poor opening and closing of quarters

The Wolves haven’t been the best at starting games on the right foot, and tonight was no different. They let the Raptors score 32 points and shoot 78% in the opening quarter. Although they only had a five-point lead at the time, it was still far too many points and too much life to give to a young team that will take energy wherever they can get it. The final quarter was a similar experience as the Wolves put up 33 points and couldn’t hang with them down the stretch. It was close for most of the quarter, but they couldn’t stop the run the Raptors made late in the game.

The turning point

To me, the point in the game where the Wolves lost was with 4:56 left and the game tied at 95. Julius Randle had the ball at the top of the key and Rudy Gobert sealed Scottie Barnes low in the post. Randle (correctly in my opinion) did not hand Gobert the ball and he continued to walk while not getting out of bounds, which was inevitably called a three second violation. Immediately after this, Rudy’s frustration punishes Scottie Barnes, giving him two free throws and the lead back to the Raptors. The game was over at this point. Everyone checked out and it was clear that the young and hungry Raptors were ready to take over the game. Unacceptable for a team that has championship aspirations.

Jaden McDaniels back on track

Despite all our negative feelings about tonight’s game, I always like to throw out one positive since it’s a lot more fun to write about. Jaden McDaniels was fantastic throughout the game. He finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. He was aggressive and found his shot within the flow of the offense. I also thought it was his best defensive game of the year as he was the aggressive and physical point-of-attack defender the Wolves need him to be on that end of the floor.

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Next

The Wolves have a few days off and travel to Beantown for the second Sunday matinee in a row at 2:30pm CT against fellow “Starting 5” star Jayson Tatum and the defending champion Boston Celtics. It will be a huge chance to bounce back from tonight’s disappointing loss and get a crack at a great team.

Game highlights