By Canadian Press

Raptors score last 11 to defeat Timberwolves 86-81

Feb 19, 2021 | 10:00 PM

MINNEAPOLIS — Norman Powell scored a season-high 31 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 86-81 on Friday night, closing the game with an 11-0 run.

Toronto earned its third straight win. Fred VanVleet had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Pascal Siakam added 10 points and nine boards.

Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Malik Beasley scored 13 and Jordan McLaughlin had 11.

Minnesota dropped its third in a row since winning at Toronto on Sunday. In that victory over the Raptors, the Timberwolves overcame a four-point halftime deficit with a 37-point blitz in the third quarter.

On Friday, they made a comeback that was even more dramatic.

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After trailing by as many as 19, the Wolves clawed their way back into the game with a 16-0 run midway through the third quarter. Jake Layman had a dunk and a 3-pointer during the stretch, which tied the game at 57.

Rookie Anthony Edwards added a long jumper and a vicious dunk as part of a three-point play, helping Minnesota to a 64-58 lead heading into the fourth.

Minnesota led 81-75 with 3:30 to play when Toronto took over. VanVleet hit a pair of free throws, Powell scored on a transition layup, and Siakam threw down a tying dunk.

On Minnesota’s next possession, Towns was called for a moving screen, and on the other end, Davis hit his third 3-pointer of the quarter to make it 84-81 with 30 seconds to play.

The Wolves had a chance to tie it, but Beasley’s 3-pointer was short, and Davis hit two free throws for Toronto.

Playing a second straight game without point guard Kyle Lowry (sprained thumb), the Raptors dominated the first half, thanks in part to Minnesota’s cold shooting. At one point the Wolves missed 18 straight 3-pointers before hitting their last two of the second quarter to finish the half 3 for 22 from behind the arc.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Coach Nick Nurse said he didn’t anticipate an extended absence for Lowry, who is averaging 17.7 points and 6.4 assists per game. … Forward Patrick McCaw was available for the first time in 11 months after recovering from surgery to remove a benign mass from his leg. He entered the game midway through the second quarter, receiving a standing ovation from his teammates on the bench.

Timberwolves: Layman, who started Minnesota’s first three games of the season, had seen his playing time dry up of late. He got off the bench for the first time in the six games, finishing with eight points in 13 minutes.

UP NEXT

The Raptors return to their temporary home in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday for the first of two straight against the 76ers. The teams will meet again Tuesday, also at Amalie Arena.

The Timberwolves travel to New York to take on the Knicks on Sunday.

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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Patrick Donnelly, The Associated Press