NBA: Minnesota stays hot, tames Raptors to remain unbeaten
By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Minnesota Timberwolves maintained their perfect start to the 2026-27 NBA regular season after routing the Toronto Raptors at home, 117-94, on Oct. 25, 2026 (Oct. 26 in Manila), at Target Center.
With the win, the Timberwolves stretched their unbeaten NBA streak to three games, all by double-digit margins, including victories over Eastern Conference opponents.
As in their lopsided win over the Miami Heat, Minnesota quickly made its mark with hot 3-point shooting to build an early 11-point lead, 32-21.
The electrifying duo of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball led the way for the Timberwolves, combining for several early 3-pointers that forced Toronto to call timeouts.
Although the Raptors regained their footing by answering with a 9-1 run, the forward rotation of Jonathan Kuminga and Jaden McDaniels helped Minnesota protect its lead by putting Toronto’s frontcourt players in early foul trouble.
Minnesota then dropped the hammer in the third quarter, outscoring the Raptors, 35-15, while extending its biggest lead of the game to 32 points.
Aside from their defensive tenacity, the Timberwolves capitalized on Toronto’s sloppy start to the second half, breaking the game wide open with a strong third-quarter run.
Picking up where Edwards and Ball left off were Terrence Shannon Jr. and Ayo Dosunmu, who attacked Toronto’s perimeter defense with aggressive drives and crafty moves to draw fouls.
Kuminga helped close out the game for Minnesota, contributing another defensive effort at the start of the fourth quarter as Toronto began turning to its reserves.
Toronto struggled to mount a comeback without Kawhi Leonard, who was sidelined by swelling in his left knee.
Edwards continued his impressive start to the NBA season, scoring 26 points on efficient 10-of-18 shooting from the field, alongside three assists and one rebound.
Ball sustained his spectacular unselfish play, delivering a near double-double of 15 points and eight assists, while McDaniels and Kuminga added 14 and 13 points, respectively.
On the other hand, Toronto received 22 points from Ja’Kobe Walter and 20 points from RJ Barrett, but one of its key players, Scottie Barnes, finished scoreless after missing all 12 of his field-goal attempts.
Minnesota will aim to sustain its winning ways on Oct. 27 (Philippine time) against Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Raptors look to bounce back on Oct. 29 against the Orlando Magic.
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