Timberwolves' failure north of border continues with loss to Raptors

The Timberwolves' losing streak at Toronto reached 20 years and 20 games with Thursday night’s 110-105 loss at Scotiabank Arena.

The Wolves haven’t won in Toronto since January 2004, back when Kevin Garnett was on his way to his MVP season and started that game in a lineup with Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell, Trenton Hassell and Ervin Johnson.

Current Wolves star Anthony Edwards was 2 years old at the time.

Thursday night, the Wolves were outdone by a 13-1 Raptors run late in the game. Toronto outscored the Wolves 33-26 in the fourth quarter.

Wolves forward Naz Reid went down injured with 11.4 seconds remaining in the game after banging his knee in a collision, but he got up and walked it off on his own.

R.J. Barrett led Toronto with 31 points. Edwards had 26 for the Wolves.

The Wolves next play Sunday at defending NBA champion Boston, where they have lost 17 consecutive games.

The Raptors arrived Thursday with a 3-12 record, but they had just beaten Indiana and lost in overtime to the Celtics.

Wolves reserve Nickeil Alexander-Walker started in his one return this season to his hometown. Starting point guard Mike Conley was out due to a left toe sprain, so Alexander-Walker started in Conley’s place alongside Edwards, Julius Randle, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.

Without a real point guard and with Alexander-Walker a starter, the Wolves bench was outscored 34-15.

Alexander-Walker burst to the basket in the game’s opening seconds for a driving layup that he missed long. But he impressed with his hustle and energy getting that start back in his hometown.

With Conley out, rookie Rob Dillingham came in off the bench for him, showing both his playmaking and his speed getting to the basket.

Randle followed Sunday afternoon’s buzzer-beating heroics that beat Phoenix by scoring 14 of his 23 points in the first half, seven of them made on 10 free-throw attempts.

The Wolves trailed 32-27 after a quarter, 52-51 at halftime and led 79-77 after three quarters on a night when the Raptors pounded and pushed the ball looking for points in the paint, just as they have all season. They had 30 there by halftime.