Timberwolves, Raptors clash after dominant 2-0 starts

Sat Oct 24 9:14pm ET
Field Level Media

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors are off to near-perfect starts.

Only one of those teams can stay unbeaten when the Timberwolves tip off against the Raptors on Sunday evening in Minneapolis.

Minnesota has won its first two games by an average margin of 23.5 points. The Timberwolves toppled Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat in their season opener, then manhandled the Orlando Magic in Game No. 2.

Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards credited the team's intense offseason workouts and training camp for its strong start.

"If you'd seen how we've been playing against each other for the past two months, then you'd know we're ready for physical teams," Edwards said. "We've been going at each other for the last two months. It felt good to put it on somebody else."

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch confirmed Edwards' account of training camp.

"That September gym, I thought at times there was a lot of kind of bad blood there," Finch said. "There were a lot of times I thought it had boiled over.

"But it was great to see the intensity. Those guys were really going at it. They enjoyed it. They've been able to bring that edge into training camp and now the season."

Toronto is also off to a red-hot beginning to the 2026-27 campaign. The Raptors have won their first two games by an average of 26.5 points, including a home win against the Chicago Bulls and a road victory over the Washington Wizards.

Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles said he and his teammates have also focused on a physical mindset to beat opponents on the glass and in the paint.

"We don't feel small at all," Murray-Boyles said. "We use it as an advantage. We move around them. At the other end, we stretch them out as much as possible. We don't see (our size) as a disadvantage at all."

Scottie Barnes leads the Raptors with 25.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. RJ Barrett is second with 21.5 points on 56.7 percent shooting, and veteran Kawhi Leonard ranks third with 19.5 points and a team-high 3.5 steals per game.

For the Timberwolves, Edwards leads with 30 points per game. LaMelo Ball has recorded 16.5 points per game, and Jaden McDaniels is averaging 16 points.

Second-year big man Joan Beringer continues to see playing time as Rudy Gobert's backup for the Timberwolves. The 19-year-old is averaging 4.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Finch praised Beringer's potential but acknowledged that the young center will experience growing pains as he adjusts to a larger role.

"There's going to be some inconsistencies," Finch said. "There's no doubt about that. We've just got to be able to kind of get through that until a point where he's more comfortable."

Minnesota won both of its games against Toronto last season. They won 128-126 in Toronto, and they held on for a 115-107 win in Minneapolis.


TOR LogoToronto Raptors
MIN LogoMinnesota Timberwolves

Sun Oct 25 7:00pm ET


LaMelo Ball, MIN34.9 Fantasy Points34.9Fantasy Points
18.5 Points18.5Points
6.5 Assists6.5Assists
4.5 Rebounds4.5Rebounds
3.5 3-pt Made3.53-pt Made
30.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts30.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
25.5 Pts+Asts25.5Pts+Asts
23.5 Pts+Rebs23.5Pts+Rebs
11.5 Rebs+Asts11.5Rebs+Asts
Anthony Edwards, MIN39.8 Fantasy Points39.8Fantasy Points
27.5 Points27.5Points
4.5 Rebounds4.5Rebounds
3.5 3-pt Made3.53-pt Made
35.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts35.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
30.5 Pts+Asts30.5Pts+Asts
32.5 Pts+Rebs32.5Pts+Rebs
8.5 Rebs+Asts8.5Rebs+Asts
Ayo Dosunmu, MIN24.9 Fantasy Points24.9Fantasy Points
12.5 Points12.5Points
3.5 Assists3.5Assists
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
19.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts19.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
15.5 Pts+Asts15.5Pts+Asts
15.5 Pts+Rebs15.5Pts+Rebs
7.5 Rebs+Asts7.5Rebs+Asts
Terrence Shannon Jr., MIN8.5 Points8.5Points
12.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts12.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
10.5 Pts+Rebs10.5Pts+Rebs
Jaden McDaniels, MIN25.6 Fantasy Points25.6Fantasy Points
13.5 Points13.5Points
4.5 Rebounds4.5Rebounds
20.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts20.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
18.5 Pts+Rebs18.5Pts+Rebs
Jonathan Kuminga, MIN24.3 Fantasy Points24.3Fantasy Points
11.5 Points11.5Points
18.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts18.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
13.5 Pts+Asts13.5Pts+Asts
16.5 Pts+Rebs16.5Pts+Rebs
7.5 Rebs+Asts7.5Rebs+Asts
Rudy Gobert, MIN24.4 Fantasy Points24.4Fantasy Points
8.5 Points8.5Points
10.5 Rebounds10.5Rebounds
21.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts21.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
19.5 Pts+Rebs19.5Pts+Rebs
Immanuel Quickley, TOR29.9 Fantasy Points29.9Fantasy Points
15.5 Points15.5Points
5.5 Assists5.5Assists
3.5 Rebounds3.5Rebounds
24.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts24.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
20.5 Pts+Asts20.5Pts+Asts
18.5 Pts+Rebs18.5Pts+Rebs
9.5 Rebs+Asts9.5Rebs+Asts
Kawhi Leonard, TOR38.9 Fantasy Points38.9Fantasy Points
24.5 Points24.5Points
5.5 Rebounds5.5Rebounds
33.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts33.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
27.5 Pts+Asts27.5Pts+Asts
30.5 Pts+Rebs30.5Pts+Rebs
8.5 Rebs+Asts8.5Rebs+Asts
RJ Barrett, TOR30.0 Fantasy Points30.0Fantasy Points
18.5 Points18.5Points
27.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts27.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
21.5 Pts+Asts21.5Pts+Asts
23.5 Pts+Rebs23.5Pts+Rebs
8.5 Rebs+Asts8.5Rebs+Asts
Scottie Barnes, TOR38.3 Fantasy Points38.3Fantasy Points
19.5 Points19.5Points
5.5 Assists5.5Assists
32.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts32.5Pts+Rebs+Asts
25.5 Pts+Asts25.5Pts+Asts
26.5 Pts+Rebs26.5Pts+Rebs
12.5 Rebs+Asts12.5Rebs+Asts
Jakob Poeltl, TOR8.5 Points8.5Points
6.5 Rebounds6.5Rebounds
15.5 Pts+Rebs15.5Pts+Rebs

DFS PICKEM


Sun Oct 25

NBA: Clippers @ Thunder
SGA, Thunder hope a new streak starts vs. Clippers

NBA: Magic @ Knicks
Winless Knicks face Magic without Paolo Banchero

NBA: Raptors @ Timberwolves
Timberwolves, Raptors clash after dominant 2-0 starts

NBA: Grizzlies @ Kings
Zach Edey, Grizzlies look to stay unbeaten vs. winless Kings