INJURY REPORT AT 5:30 P.M. FRIDAY
09:00 (ET) TOR@MIN Minnesota Timberwolves Culver, Jarrett Out Injury/Illness – Left Ankle; Sprain
Russell, D’Angelo Out Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Surgery
Toronto Raptors Harris, Jalen Out G League – On Assignment
Lowry, Kyle Questionable Injury/Illness – Left Thumb; Sprained
McCaw, Patrick Probable Injury/Illness – Left knee; Surgery – Rehabilitation
RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors finish a three-game road trip (Feb. 16-19) Friday night with the second game of a back-to-back set against Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Toronto is winless (0-4) in the second game of a back-to-back this season. The Raptors return home to host the first of consecutive games versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday (Feb. 21-23). Toronto will play five-of-seven games at home in Tampa to wrap-up its first half schedule. The Timberwolves beat the Toronto Raptors 116-112 on Sunday.
• After starting the 2020-21 campaign with one win in seven games, the Raptors have an opportunity against the Timberwolves to get back to .500 (14-15) for the first time this season.
• Kyle Lowry missed his fourth game of the season yesterday at Milwaukee due to a left thumb sprain. Lowry injured the thumb in the first quarter Tuesday against the Bucks. The Raptors are 4-0 this season without Lowry in the lineup and 16-2 dating back to the start of last season.
• The Raptors are 6-3 in the month of February. Toronto ranks third in the NBA averaging 120.4 points in February, and tied for fourth shooting .412 (133-323) from beyond the arc. The Raptors have scored 120+ points six times this month after reaching the mark just twice in their first 20 games. Fred VanVleet (23.7),
Pascal Siakam (23.2) and Norman Powell (21.7) are all averaging 20+ points in February. The trio combined for 73 points in Thursday’s victory over the Bucks.
• Fred VanVleet has led (or tied) the Raptors in assists in each of the last seven games (Feb. 6-18). VanVleet is averaging 8.3 assists during this stretch, totaling 58 assists compared to 21 turnovers.
• Norman Powell scored 15 of his season high-tying 29 points in the first quarter last night at Milwaukee. Powell is averaging a team-high 5.9 points in the first quarter this season, inlcuding 8.3 points in February.
• OG Anunoby returned to the lineup Tuesday at Milwaukee after missing the previous 10 games (Jan. 27 -Feb. 14) due to a strained left calf. Anunoby has scored 10+ points in a career-high 11 straight games played (Jan. 10 – Feb. 18). He is averaging 15.8 points, while shooting .500 (62-124) from the field
and .508 (32-63) from three-point range, during this streak.
• Fred VanVleet (20.3) and Chris Boucher (13.4) rank second and fourth, respectively, in scoring among undrafted players this season. VanVleet’s franchise record 54 points Feb. 2 at Orlando was the most points scored by an undrafted player in NBA history, while Boucher leads all reserves in the NBA this season with seven double-doubles off the bench.
The view from left field 