Timberwolves-Raptors Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO

(AP) -- Confident the Toronto Raptors have rebounded from an extended rough stretch, Kyle Lowry won't resort to any more fashion statements to help his team string together some victories.

They haven't needed much luck during a decade-long domination of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Trying to win back-to-back games for the first time in a month Wednesday night, the host Raptors look to continue their success against a depleted Timberwolves team that's dropped nine of 10.

Both sporting headbands, Lowry had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and Williams scored 24 to help Toronto (40-27) to a 117-98 victory at Indiana on Monday. Though these Raptors are the first in club history to win 40 in fewer than 70 games, they more importantly have taken two of three since a 1-9 stretch.

As Toronto looks to win two straight for the first time since a four-game run Feb. 6-20, Lowry doesn't need a good-luck charm anymore.

"The headband is done, don't worry about it again," he said after bouncing back from a 10-point, 3-of-11 performance in Sunday's 113-97 loss to Portland. "We've got to keep up the consistency and the effort we showed (Monday)."

Teammate DeMar DeRozan thought Lowry and Williams' headgear additions helped take some pressure off the team. Lowry hit five of Toronto's 12 3-pointers on 23 attempts, and the club owned a 51-36 advantage on the boards.

"When things are not going so fun, you have got to find some things to make it fun again," said DeRozan, who had 22 points. "We can't be too uptight or too down. We still have to have fun with it and I think Lou (Williams) and Kyle showed that."

The Raptors have enjoyed themselves while winning six straight and 18 of 19 against Minnesota (14-52), which has averaged 90.9 points during a 10-game road skid in the series. The Wolves' last victory over Toronto away from home came by a 108-97 score Jan. 21, 2004.

Another of Lowry's seven career triple-doubles was a 20-point, 12-board, 11-assist effort in a 111-104 win at Minnesota in the most recent meeting last March 9. He's totaled 46 points and shot 15 of 22 in the past two home matchups.

Looking to avoid a seventh consecutive road defeat, Minnesota tries to bounce back after falling 122-106 at home to Brooklyn on Monday. With a sore knee preventing Kevin Garnett from playing in a fifth straight game and facing his former team, the Timberwolves were outscored 78-42 in the paint while losing their fifth straight overall.

Kevin Martin scored 23 and Zack LaVine added 20 for Minnesota, which had eight healthy players and could be without center Nikola Pekovic for a fourth straight game and Ricky Rubio for a third in a row.

"We can't practice because we've only got eight guys, and the guys are so tired you're trying to get them some rest time," said coach Flip Saunders, whose team allows a league-high 106.0 points per contest and lost 123-97 to San Antonio on Sunday.

"It's a man's league. At some point you're going to have to stand your ground. You're going to have to learn how to play. If you get your butts kicked, sometimes that's part of growing up."

Saunders will not be with the team in Toronto because he is headed to Cleveland to be with his ailing father.

Assistant coach Sam Mitchell, who coached the Raptors from 2004-2008, will fill in for Saunders while he is away.

Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins averages a team-high 15.7 points but could be hitting a wall, having scored 13.2 and shot 37.7 percent in the last five.