Anthony Edwards scored 26 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves routed the Toronto Raptors 117-94 on Sunday night at Target Center, securing their third consecutive double-digit victory to start the 2026–27 NBA season while Toronto played without an injured Kawhi Leonard.
The Timberwolves wasted little time establishing control in their home opener in front of a raucous Target Center crowd. After opening their schedule with two road wins in Florida, Minnesota pushed its record to 3-0 by overwhelming a short-handed Raptors squad that played without Kawhi Leonard, who was a late scratch due to swelling in his left knee.
Big reason the Raptors are back in this game (down 8 at half), despite the early shooting woes, is they're winning the possession battle. They have 12 more shot attempts than Minnesota.Raptors forced 12 turnovers in the 1st half, have now forced 62 in 10 quarters this season.
Minnesota capitalized immediately, jumping out to a 32-21 lead by the end of the first quarter and extending their advantage to as many as 32 points down the stretch. The home side shot 56 percent from the floor and connected on 48 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Anthony Edwards Leads the Attack While Bench Depth Shines
Edwards paced the winners with 26 points in just 27 minutes of action. He received ample support from a revamped roster that showcased its depth throughout the evening. LaMelo Ball made his regular-season home debut for Minnesota, contributing 15 points and going 4 for 5 from 3-point range in 16 minutes despite battling foul trouble.
LaMelo, this stepback 3 was TOUGH 😮💨Ant's reaction 💯The Timberwolves improve to 3-0! pic.twitter.com/mfG54yLcR9
Early foul trouble for Ball forced head coach Chris Finch to lean heavily on his second unit, and the bench delivered. Ayo Dosunmu stepped in to steady the playmaking duties in the first half, while Terrence Shannon Jr. provided an explosive spark.
I’m just happy I get front-row seats to it.
Terrence Shannon Jr.
Shannon finished with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including three makes from long distance, alongside tenacious defense. Jaden McDaniels chipped in 14 points, six rebounds, and three blocks, continuing his strong start to the season.
That 3-0 feeling 🗣️Anthony Edwards (26 PTS) & LaMelo Ball (15 PTS, 8 AST) are FIRED UP after helping the @Timberwolves win their 11th consecutive home opener, and become the 3rd team in NBA history to win their first 3 games of the season by 20+ PTS! pic.twitter.com/nJoAOr8uEX
Scottie Barnes Struggles as Toronto’s Offense Falters
For Toronto, the evening turned into a stark offensive nightmare. The visitors struggled to find any rhythm against Minnesota’s length. Ja’Kobe Walter led the Raptors with 22 points in place of Leonard, while RJ Barrett added 20 and Immanuel Quickley scored 19, but their efforts were overshadowed by a shooting slump from their primary playmaker.
Scottie Barnes failed to score a single point, finishing 0 for 12 from the field. Minnesota’s defensive schemes routinely forced Barnes into contested jumpers over enormous defenders, and he did not attempt a single free throw.
Sorry, I didn’t realize that [Scottie] Barnes was 0-for-12. Sorry, say that again.
Terrence Shannon Jr.
Obviously, great defense by all those guys that took the matchup, Finch said after the game, noting that Barnes possesses so much size and skill that it’s hard to stop him.
Minnesota Struggles with Rebounding When Rudy Gobert Rests
Despite the comfortable margin of victory, Minnesota identified clear areas for improvement under the guidance of defensive anchor Rudy Gobert. Gobert anchored the interior with 13 rebounds, but the Timberwolves struggled to control the glass whenever the veteran center took a seat on the bench. In the first half alone, Toronto secured nine offensive rebounds, with seven coming while Gobert rested.
The victory brought Minnesota’s early-season margin of victory across their first three games to an average of over 23 points per contest, having previously defeated Miami and Orlando by comfortable margins. The team’s defensive intensity limited Toronto to just 21 points in the opening quarter and a mere 15 in a decisive third-quarter burst where the Timberwolves outscored the visitors 35-15.
Next Stops on the Eastern Conference Road Trip
The Timberwolves will have little time to savor their home-opening success as they travel immediately to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Toronto, falling to 2-1 on the young season, returns home to host the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.