TARGET CENTER
Minneapolis
TIPOFF: Wednesday, 8 p.m.
TV: Sportsnet One
RADIO: TSN1050
PROBABLE STARTERS
Toronto: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, DeMarre Carroll, Pascal Siakam, Jonas Valanciunas.
Minnesota: Ricky Rubio, Brandon Rush, Andrew Wiggins, Gorgui Dieng, Karl-Anthony Towns.
KEY MATCHUP
Jonas Valanciunas, Raptors, vs. Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves. The Minnesota centre averages 23.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, shoots about 55 per cent from the floor and 35 per cent from three. It’s a true matchup dilemma for Valanciunas, who will have to guard Towns all over the floor.
NEED TO KNOW
Minnesota lost promising young guard Zach LaVine, the slam dunk champion the last two years, with a torn knee ligament last weekend. LaVine is done for the season . . . The T-Wolves had hoped to challenge for a playoff spot this season but enter the game 19-33, 13th in the West and losers of four in a row . . . Vaughn’s Andrew Wiggins is averaging 22.2 points per game, and has 20-plus points in each of his last 10 games . . . Raptors pulled away in the final quarter to beat Minnesota in Toronto earlier this season but lost their game at the Target Center in the 2015-16 season . . . Minnesota is in the top 10 in offensive rebounding, and in the bottom three in defensive rebounding.
UP NEXT
Sunday, vs. Detroit, 6 p.m.
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