After losing two in a row on the road, the Toronto Raptors know they must improve defensively when they return home Saturday to play the surging Boston Celtics.
The Raptors completed a three-game trip Thursday with a 128-126 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves after leading by as many as 18 points.
Minnesota’s D’Angelo Russell made two free throws with 9.9 seconds to play, and Toronto’s OG Anunoby missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds.
The Raptors still led by 14 with 9:46 left in the game.
Scottie Barnes scored a season-best 29 points and added eight rebounds, five assists and two steals for Toronto.
The Raptors, who won the opener of their trip in overtime against the New York Knicks on Monday, lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 130-122 on Tuesday.
The Celtics won their eighth in a row Thursday when they overcame a nine-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the visiting Golden State Warriors 121-118 in overtime.
The Warriors defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals last season and on Dec. 10 this season in San Francisco.
The Celtics did not play their best on Thursday and made some turnovers down the stretch before Jaylen Brown tied the score on a 3-pointer with 18.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime.
Boston shot 39.8 percent (43 for 108) from the field for the game.
Boston’s Al Horford, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds and made some big plays late in the game, said the team showed maturity.
The Celtics defeated the Raptors 116-110 on Dec. 5 at Toronto. Tatum had 31 points for Boston and Pascal Siakam scored 29 for Toronto.
