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SteemSports Editor: Shayne Shiells 
Steem Sports Presenter: Ryan Geddes 
We are presenting the Raptors vs Timberwolves
December 7, 2016, 7:00 PM
Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
(December 8, 12:00 AM UTC)
Toronto Raptors
Every streak must come to an end. The Raps tried to make it 7 in a row against the Cavs and were unable to get the win. They only lost by 4 points - but a loss is a loss. This is an excellent team and is playing against a team tonight that they should be able to handle - Raptors should win.
So Far This Season:
The Raptors are 14-7 and are currently one game behind the first place Cavs. This is a game the Raptors should easily win - and needs to win in order to keep pace with the Cavs.
Source
The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. When the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis, Tennessee to become the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001, the Raptors became the only Canadian-based team in the NBA. They originally played their home games at the SkyDome (since renamed Rogers Centre in 2005), before moving eastward along Bremner Boulevard to the Air Canada Centre in 1999.
Like most expansion teams, the Raptors struggled in their early years, but after the acquisition of Vince Carter through a draft day trade in 1998, the team set league-attendance records and made the NBA playoffs in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Carter was instrumental in leading the team to a then-franchise high 47 wins and their first playoff series win in 2001, where they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals. During the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons, they failed to make significant progress and he was traded in 2004 to the New Jersey Nets.
After Carter left, Chris Bosh emerged as the team leader. In 2006–07, Bryan Colangelo's first full season as President and General Manager, a combination of Bosh, 2006 first overall NBA draft pick Andrea Bargnani and a revamp of the roster helped the Raptors qualify for their first playoff berth in five years, capturing the Atlantic Division title with 47 wins. In the 2007–08 season, they advanced to the playoffs again, but failed to make the playoffs in each of the next five seasons. In a bid to persuade Bosh to stay, Colangelo overhauled the team roster for the 2009–10 season, but Bosh signed with the Miami Heat in July 2010, ushering in yet another era of rebuilding for the Raptors.
After Masai Ujiri was brought in as the new General Manager in 2013, he traded Bargnani to the New York Knicks. With a backcourt led by Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, the Raptors returned to the playoffs, won their second Atlantic Division title, and won a then-franchise record 48 games in the 2013–14 season. However, they failed for a fourth consecutive time to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs. In the 2014–15 season, they won a then-franchise record 49 games, but failed for a second consecutive year to advance past the first round of the playoffs, getting swept by the Washington Wizards, 4–0. In the 2015–16 season, they won a franchise record 56 games, finishing in second place in the conference for the first time in franchise history. In the playoffs, they won their first playoff series since 2001 by defeating both the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, advancing to the Conference Finals for the first time against the Cleveland Cavaliers, only for the Raptors to lose to the eventual NBA champions in six games.
Game Stats Pregame
Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is not a team that's ready to shine. Some Toronto fans might be jealous seeing local boy Andrew Wiggins putting up points. Wiggins and Lavigne are the bright spots for this team - these guys can put up points. If the Raptors take the night off - there is no doubt this team can put up the points and pull out a win!
So Far This Season:
The Timberwolves are 6-15 which puts them in the basement of the eastern conference. It is unlikely they will be able to stop this Raptors team.
Source
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member club of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division.[2] Founded in 1989, the team is owned by Glen Taylor.[3] The Timberwolves play their home games at Target Center, their home since 1990.[4]
Like most expansion teams, the Timberwolves struggled in their early years, but after the acquisition of Kevin Garnett in the 1995 NBA draft, the team qualified for the playoffs eight consecutive times from 1997 to 2004. Despite losing in the first round in their first seven attempts, the Timberwolves won their first division title in 2004 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals. Garnett was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for that season.[5] The team has been in rebuilding mode for the past decade since missing the playoffs in 2005, and trading Garnett to the Boston Celtics in 2007.[6] Garnett returned to the Timberwolves in a February 2015 trade.
Game Stats Pregame
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