Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves shot 56% from the field to beat the Toronto Raptors 117-94 on Sunday at Target Center, improving to 3-0 to start the season. The Timberwolves dominated the third quarter 35-15 to break open a close game.
Minnesota took control with a third-quarter surge after Toronto had cut a 21-point halftime deficit to single digits at times in the first half. The Timberwolves outscored the Raptors 35-15 in the third period to push their lead to as many as 32 points, the largest of the game. Ja’Kobe Walter led Toronto with 22 points, but the Raptors fell to 2-1 after shooting just 38% from the field and 26% from three-point range.
Key Moments And How It Was Won
The Raptors actually led for stretches of the first quarter, with RJ Barrett scoring in isolation and in transition to keep Toronto within striking distance. But Minnesota answered with a 10-0 run capped by Anthony Edwards’ 24-foot three-pointer that made it 15-25 late in the first quarter, part of a stretch where the Timberwolves closed the period on a 13-2 run.
The Timberwolves led 54-47 at halftime and outscored Toronto 35-15 in the third to build a 32-point lead, the largest of the game. Minnesota finished with 56 points in the paint and a 49-34 rebounding edge.
Top Performers
Edwards finished 10-for-18 from the field with 26 points, four assists and four turnovers in 28 minutes, posting a plus-9 rating. LaMelo Ball added 15 points and a game-high eight assists in just 17 minutes, shooting 5-for-8 from the field including 4-for-5 from three-point range. Jaden McDaniels contributed 14 points, six rebounds and three blocks, finishing a team-best plus-31 for the night.
Rudy Gobert controlled the glass with 13 rebounds to go with eight points on perfect 4-for-4 shooting. Jonathan Kuminga scored 13 points off the bench, shooting 3-for-4 from three-point range in 26 minutes.
For Toronto, Walter led all Raptors scorers with 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting and 5-for-8 from three. RJ Barrett added 20 points on 9-for-21 shooting and finished minus-19. Immanuel Quickley scored 19 points on 7-for-15 shooting. Scottie Barnes went scoreless in 28 minutes, missing all 12 of his field goal attempts and finishing minus-27.
What It Means
Minnesota is 3-0, tied with Oklahoma City atop the Northwest Division. The Timberwolves shot 15-of-31 from three (48%) and finished 43-of-77 from the field (56%).
Toronto is 2-1, second in the Atlantic Division behind Philadelphia (3-0). The Raptors committed 17 turnovers leading to 23 Minnesota points.
What’s Next
Minnesota leads the season series 1-0.
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