Toronto Raptors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Two wins in a row??

11/21/2024 11:37 AM

Coming off win number three — and with a potential Scottie Barnes return looming — the Raptors look to get their first consecutive wins of the season.

After flirting with victory for the past two weeks, the Toronto Raptors finally got their third win of the season on Monday night at home against the Indiana Pacers. The Raptors had been playing well — four of their last seven games were decided by 5 or less points, including an OT loss against the Boston Celtics — and players like RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji have shown up in truly impressive ways. But on Monday, the team finally got more than a moral victory, winning by 11 (their biggest margin of victory this season).

Now, coming off two rest days and remaining at home, the stage is set for the team's first consecutive wins of the season. To this point, their wins have been followed by losing streaks of four and seven. Can they keep their momentum going this time?

Standing in their way are the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves haven't quite recaptured their magic from last season, but they're a solid 8-6, their defense is still anchored by Rudy Gobert and, most importantly, they have superstar Anthony Edwards.

Here are the details for tonight's game.

Where to Watch:

TSN, 7:30 pm EST

Lineups:

Toronto: Davion Mitchell, Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, Jakob Poeltl

Minnesota: Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert

Injuries:

Toronto: Immanuel Quickley — elbow (OUT), Bruce Brown — knee (OUT), Kelly Olynyk — back (OUT), Bruno Fernando — ankle (OUT), D.J. Carton — ankle (OUT), Scottie Barnes — orbital fracture (questionable), Ja'Kobe Walter — shoulder (questionable)

Minnesota: Mike Conley — toe (questionable), Donte DiVincenzo — back (questionable)

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Masked Scottie?

After meeting with a specialist on Tuesday, Scottie Barnes' status was upgraded to questionable for the first time since suffering a right orbital fracture on October 28. The 11 games without him have been unexpectedly fun, but the return of their franchise player would obviously be a huge boon for the Raptors. The main question will be how Scottie's return affects the production of players like RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji, who've stepped into larger roles in Barnes' absence. It will likely mean fewer shot attempts for them — but Barnes' gravity and playmaking skills could also set them up for better quality looks.

The Jerseys!!

We don't know for sure whether Scottie Barnes will make his return tonight. What we do know is that, if he does, he'll be doing so in the Raptors' new City Edition uniforms. Tonight is the debut of the Raptors' black jersey that celebrates the team's 30th anniversary by featuring the Raptor doing Vince Carter's iconic through-the-legs dunk — and even wearing Vince's no. 15 — with purple trim and the classic silver jagged pinstripes. They'll also play on a special court with the same Raptor design at halfcourt, and plenty of purple.

Half Man Half... Ant?

The visual on display tonight will be Vince Carter's iconic 2000 Slam Dunk Contest attempt. But if there's anyone who'll be coming close to that kind of dunk tonight, he likely won't be wearing a Raptors jersey: it'll be Anthony Edwards, one of the league's most athletic stars. Edwards is averaging 28 points per game so for this season. More impressively, he's doing it on 42.4 percent three-point shooting. Both marks are career highs. He's also attempting over 11.3 threes per game, up from his previous high of 8.4 in the 2021-22 season. The Timberwolves are still finding their identity in the wake of the Karl-Anthony Towns/Julius Randle plus Donte DiVincenzo swap. But Edwards is a dynamic enough player to overcome any identity crises.