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Raptors end 13-game skid, beat T'Wolves

Feb 5, 2011 - 3:30 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Andrea Bargnani had 30 points and DeMar DeRozan added 20 points to help Toronto end a nightmarish 13-game slide with a 111-100 win over Minnesota.

Amir Johnson notched 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, whose last win came against Sacramento on January 9. Sonny Weems chipped in 16 points while Jose Calderon had just six points, but dished out a season-best 19 assists in the winning effort.

Kevin Love, who was named a reserve on the Western Conference All-Star team during the game, recorded his 35th straight double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.

"I wasn't even aware of it," the UCLA product said of hearing the announcement. "I'm very humble and it's a honor... It's special because it's in LA."

Darko Milicic and Corey Brewer each had 15 points for the reeling Timberwolves, who have dropped eight of their last nine contests overall. Sebastian Telfair had 16 points in a reserve role while Wesley Johnson, who replaced Michael Beasley after he departed during the second quarter with a left ankle injury, finished with 10 points.

Toronto got off to a good start thanks to DeRozan's 5-for-5 performance in the first quarter good for 10 points. Bargnani added nine points to give the Raptors a slim 33-31 margin after the opening 12 minutes.

The Raptors finished the first half shooting 59.1 percent from the field, but could not shake Minnesota, which made six three pointers in half No. 1. Johnny Flynn hit a jumper for the Timberwolves with time running out to make the score 59-55 in favor of Toronto at the half.

The edge continued to stay in favor of Toronto during the entire third quarter. Just under a minute to play during the frame, DeRozan's fade away jumper gave Toronto an 84-76 lead and the Raptors held onto an 86-80 margin into the final frame.

Three-pointers continued to keep Minnesota in the game during the final frame when Brewer hit a trey with 8:35 remaining, making it a 90-86 contest. After a Bargnani layup, Telfair buried a trey for a 92-89 game.

Brewer made 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to make it a two-point game with just over six minutes remaining, but Toronto responded with a Bargnani free throw and a trey to spark an 8-2 run to take a 100-92 lead just over four minutes to play.

The Timberwolves couldn't get closer than four the rest of the way.

"We were not playing proper defense during the losing streak," Bargnani said. "We played good defense in the final quarter and that's how we hung in there."

Game Notes

Love, who will replace Houston's Yao Ming, is the first player to represent the Timberwolves in the All-Star game since Kevin Garnett in 2007...Minnesota finished 12-of-30 from the three-point arc. Love and Telfair each went 3- of-6...Toronto finished making 54.8 percent of its shots.