The Toronto Raptors fell short to the Minnesota Timberwolves 112-101 to go to 1-2 on the season.
Minnesota got off to a great start outscoring the Raptors 32-18. Toronto made things interesting late in the fourth quarter, but turnovers proved costly for them.
The Raptors committed 20 turnovers and conceded 27 points off them.
Overall, the shorthanded Raptors who were missing 5 rotation players put up a respectable effort against a fully healthy Timberwolves team.
Gradey Dick career-high performance
Dick stepped up in a big way with key players out. He notched a new career-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field, which included 4 three-pointers. Dick continues to prove that he’s more than just a shooter. He did a good job of putting the ball on the deck and his movement off the ball has been solid. Dick led all scorers in this game.
Ochai Agbaji looks comfortable
Agbaji turned in another impressive outing for Toronto. The 24-year-old had 19 points on an efficient 8-for-12 shooting from the field. He hit 3 threes and looked very comfortable shooting the ball. Agbaji has now put up back-to-back strong performances for the Raptors and overall he has played much better since being integrated in the starting lineup. With RJ Barrett nearing a return, it’ll be interesting to see if Agbaji can keep up this improved play when he heads back to a bench role.
Scottie Barnes needs to be more aggressive early
Barnes had a nice game of 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists but he did have 6 turnovers. Barnes did most of his damage in the fourth quarter and only had 2 free throw attempts in this game after having 13 against the Philadelphia 76ers. If Barnes was more aggressive and assertive from the start of the game, the Raptors would’ve avoided getting in a hole early and possibly could’ve had a chance to win the game. Barnes struggled shooting the basketball going 9-for-19 from the field and 1-for-4 from three.
Next on tap
The Raptors will return home to take on a desperate Denver Nuggets team that has gotten off to an 0-2 start.
The Raptors are hoping to have some key rotation players back for this game.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
