NBA-Raptors take down Timberwolves 114-105

Feb 25 (The Sports Xchange) - Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points, including a couple of big three-point shots in the final two minutes as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-105 on Wednesday. Point guard Kyle Lowry, who snapped the tie with a three-pointer, added 21 points. Reserve guard Corey Joseph scored 18 points and center Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and seven rebounds. Reserve center Bismack Biyombo had 11 rebounds and six points. Forward Andrew Wiggins, a Toronto native, scored 26 points for Minnesota. Forward Gorgui Dieng added 21 points with eight rebounds, center Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 and reserve forward Shabazz Muhammad contributed 10 points. The Raptors led by three points at the half and one point after the third quarter before going ahead by nine early in the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves fought back to tie the game at 101 with 3:48 to play on a dunk by guard Zach LaVine. Lowry's three-pointer put the Raptors back in front. Minnesota turned the ball over with 2:09 to play on a 24-second violation and DeRozan came back to make a three-pointer for a six-point Toronto lead with 1:51 left. Lowry hit another three-pointer with 53.9 seconds left to increase the lead to seven. DeRozan's three-pointer got the lead up to eight with 28 seconds to play. Raptors reserve forward Terrence Ross, who finished with nine points, was ejected when he was assessed a double technical foul in the third quarter after a personal foul call with 1:48 to play.