(Minneapolis) Gary Trent had 30 points as the Toronto Raptors posted a 103-91 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Posted yesterday at 10:56 p.m.
Trent had provided just six points two nights earlier, as Toronto was corrected by 30 points at New Orleans.
On Wednesday, he had five three-point shots including a ‘punch’ with 1:50 on the clock, to give the visitors a 99-89 lead.
Pascal Siakam had 17 points, nine assists and nine rebounds.
The Raptors (32-25) were playing their last game before the all-star break.
Reserves Precious Achiuwa and Thaddeus Young added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Young was playing a second game with his new club.
Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby had nine points each.
Chris Boucher distinguished himself with 10 rebounds and five points.
He had a key three-point shot that went on a 15-2 Raptors run, straddling the third and fourth quarters.
After his success and a similar one from Achiuwa, the Raptors led 83-76.
Boucher then signed free throws from a foul he drew, fighting for an offensive rebound.
Trent hit the mark from a distance then, after a successful block by Boucher, he made two free throws that gave his team a 94-84 cushion.
Toronto is seventh in the East, a game and a half ahead of the Nets.
After the All-Star break, the Raptors will wrap up the month playing in Charlotte, Atlanta and Brooklyn, beginning Feb. 25.
They should find a full house in Toronto on the 1er March, against the Nets.
Fred VanVleet was not playing, suffering from a contusion in his right knee.
For that same reason, VanVleet didn’t play in the final quarter Monday, in a 120-90 loss at New Orleans.
His presence at All-Star Weekend is not in question, Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.
VanVleet and Siakam are essentially neck and neck atop Raptors scoring.
VanVleet leads the team with an average of seven assists per game.
He was named to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.
The annual classic will be presented Sunday evening, in Cleveland.
VanVleet will be part of LeBron James’ team. He will also participate in the three-point shooting contest on Saturday.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points for the T-Wolves (31-28), who had won their last seven home games.
Jaden McDaniels scored 18 points for Minnesota, whose three-point shooting success rate was 23.8 percent.
The Timberwolves are managed by Chris Finch, a good friend of his vis-a-vis the Raptors. Finch was one of Nurse’s assistants in 2020-21.