Raptors’ Trent hits 30 points again in win over Wolves

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gary Trent Jr. scored 30 points in his home state, Pascal Siakam added 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists and the Toronto Raptors — who were without All-Star Fred VanVleet — beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 103-91 on Wednesday night.

Trent went 5 for 12 from 3-point range and had 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Raptors to their ninth win in 11 games.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Jaden McDaniels pitched in 18 points and seven rebounds, but they were done in by some defensive lapses and icy outside shooting down the stretch.

Each team will enter All-Star weekend in seventh place in their conferences, and the Raptors are on track to return to the playoffs after missing out last season for the first time in eight years.

The Raptors were coming off a 30-point loss to New Orleans in which they shot a season-worst 30.5% from the field. But on Wednesday, Toronto produced a sharp performance without the service of VanVleet, who was sidelined by knee soreness.

Siakam made three free throws early in the fourth quarter after a foul on D’Angelo Russell, giving the Raptors a 77-74 advantage. It was their first lead since 49-48, and they never trailed after that. Trent knocked down a step-back 3-pointer to make it 92-84 with 5:08 left.

Playing the second half of a back-to-back set and their seventh game in 11 days, the Timberwolves faced another test of their progress after a comeback victory over Charlotte that coach Chris Finch called one of their best of the season.

Anthony Edwards, playing on sprained ankle that had him listed as questionable, had only six points, all from the foul line. Edwards, Russell and Malik Beasley shot a combined 4 for 23