Timberwolves 87 - 97 Raptors
Final
  for this game

Timberwolves, Raptors clash up north

Jan 9, 2012 - 3:40 PM (Sports Network) - Ricky Rubio hopes to build on another impressive performance when his Minnesota Timberwolves head north of the border Monday to take on the Toronto Raptors.

The rookie point guard finished with 13 points, a career-high 14 assists and six rebounds in a 93-72 rout in Washington on Sunday. Kevin Love totaled game highs of 20 points and 16 rebounds for his eighth straight double-double as Minnesota kept the Wizards winless.

Derrick Williams scored 14 points for the Timberwolves, who snapped a two-game slide and won for the first time on the road this season. Wayne Ellington and Luke Ridnour added 13 points apiece as forward Michael Beasley missed the game with a sprained right foot.

"From the very start, we set the tempo. Everybody contributed at both ends of the floor. It wasn't just one guy," said Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman. "We wanted to get the first road win of the year under our belt and see if we can build on that."

After tonight the Timberwolves will finish a back-to-back-to-back stretch in Minneapolis against Chicago on Tuesday.

The Raptors, meanwhile, will be playing the first of three games in as many nights starting tonight.

Toronto, which will also face Washington and Sacramento over the next couple of days, is coming off a 97-62 rout at the hands of Philadelphia on Saturday. It was the Raptors lowest-scoring game since an 82-62 loss to Milwaukee on Nov. 23, 2003.

Andrea Bargnani ended with 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who struggled by shooting 29.3 percent (12-of-41) in the final 24 minutes. Amir Johnson had 12 points and 14 boards, but the rest of the team combined for 29 points on 13-of-55 shooting (23.6 percent).

"I thought in the first half our disposition was good. I thought in the third it was more mental and physical fatigue," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

Toronto has won 13 of 14 over Minnesota dating back to 2004-05, but the Wolves did beat the Raptors 103-87 at Target Center on Jan. 29. Minnesota, however, is still in the midst of a seven-game drought at Air Canada Centre.






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