Raptors’ defence can’t contain ’Wolves

MINNEAPOLIS Re-integrating DeMar DeRozan into the lineup is proving easier than expected.

The Raptors offence seems to have picked up right where it left off when DeRozan went out. Unfortunately so too has the defence.

The Raptors had a nice night on the offensive end shooting 53.8 per cent from the field but had no answer for the Timberwolves duo of Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns who were both in top form helping the hosts to a 112-109 win over the Raptors.

Ironically with the game on the line, the Timberwolves didn’t go to either of their big men instead putting the ball in point guard Tyus Jones’ hands with 20 seconds to go and the two teams tied.

Jones, who was 0-for-3 for the game to that point from behind the arc, drilled the go-ahead three.

The Raps came down and got a two on a Valanciunas dunk but with 13 seconds left the Raptors fouled Wiggins who sank both to re-establish the three point lead.

Lowry with a rushed and offbalance three at the buzzer hit the side of the backboard to end any threat of overtime.

In a season where the Raptors seem to take one step forward for every step backward, that trend continued with the offence back clicking. Another 60-point first half, followed a 70-point first half in DeRozan’s first game back from injury and the Raptors were off to the races.

This one though was not easy, not with Towns and Wiggins in lock step most of the night on the offensive end, negating and then some, everything the Raptors got from DeRozan and Lowry.

Between them the Minnesota major scoring options outscored Toronto’s big two 60-50, and without the support the Raptors big two had behind them, it was enough to win the game.

Before the game, Casey admitted he liked the direction his team was headed, particularly with DeRozan back.

“I think we’ve got 29 games, 28 games to go so we can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Casey said. “We’ve gotta start making some hay, getting together, getting our consistency, most of all getting healthy (and) getting our rhythm back from our health and go forward.”

The consistency he’s looking for has been at the defensive end. That was again the case last night as the Raps gave up a 30-point quarter in the third to let the Timberwolves back in this one.