Marshall, Raptors top Timberwolves

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 18, 2005

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &045; Donyell Marshall made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points, leading the Toronto Raptors over the Minnesota Timberwolves 100-91 on Monday.

Marshall, the Timberwolves’ first-round draft choice in 1994, scored 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Raptors held on for their first win in Minnesota in franchise history.

Rafer Alston scored 18 points and had 15 assists, while Chris Bosh posted 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who have won four of five and snapped an 11-game road losing streak, one shy of a franchise record.

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Wally Szczerbiak led the Timberwolves with 25 points, and Kevin Garnett added 20 points and 14 boards for Minnesota, which fell to 3-7 in January.

Toronto built its lead to as much as 18 in the second quarter thanks to a major disparity in 3-point shooting. The Timberwolves missed their first 12 3-pointers and were 0-for-7 from behind the arc in the first half, while the Raptors hit 6-of-8 3s in the first half.

Minnesota surged back in the third, getting within a basket twice, with the help of consecutive goaltending calls on the Raptors during an 8-0 run. Szczerbiak scored on three straight possessions late in the quarter to make it 70-68, but Bosh slammed home an offensive rebound and hit two free throws as Toronto extended its lead back to six after the third.

Minnesota finally connected on a 3-pointer with 6:09 left in the game. Eddie Griffin’s shot rattled around the rim and fell, cutting Toronto’s lead to 81-80. But Jalen Rose scored on consecutive possessions and Marshall later hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to seal the victory for the Raptors.

Notes: Minnesota played without point guard Sam Cassell, who missed his sixth straight game with a strained hamstring, and center Michael Olowokandi, who sat out the second game of his four-game suspension after a Jan. 14 fight in Denver. … Raptors coach Sam Mitchell played 10 seasons for the Timberwolves and is the franchise leader in games played with 757. … Bosh posted his eighth straight double-double, tying a team record last set by Marshall last February.

Meanwhile, Garnett posted his 35th double-double in 37 games this season.