Toronto ends regular season with 48-34 record, clean bill of health

The Raptors lost, but the main mission of avoiding injuries going into the playoffs was accomplished.

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Quick Reaction

Rap Up with Kyle and Sahal

The Raptors lost, but the main mission of avoiding injuries going into the playoffs was accomplished. Considering what happened to Luka Doncic Sunday night and Fred VanVleet at the end of the 2018 season, health can’t be taken for granted.

Boucher / Flynn

Chris Boucher didn’t have a role in the Raptors 2019 or 2020 playoff runs. It’s a pretty safe assumption that he will be in Nick Nurse’s rotation this time around though. Boucher led the team with 32 minutes and 21 points, showing the usual hustle that turned around his season with some Precious Achiuwa-like sprinkles on top in transition.

Meanwhile Flynn will be experiencing the NBA playoff atmosphere for the first time. While his minutes will be questionable, Malachi also improved as the season went along and provided key starts when Fred VanVleet was nursing his knee injury. If Nurse calls on the second year guard, he should be ready. Flynn had 10 points and four assists in this game.

OG tune-up

Anunoby had missed the previous four games with a thigh injury but played 25 minutes. Gary Trent Jr. (31 mins) and Scottie Barnes (22) were the other starters that played, as Pascal Siakam and VanVleet both rested. Nurse was feeling under the weather (non Covid), so Adrian Griffin replaced him as coach.

OG’s shot was off, going 0-5 from three including a brick in his final shot that got some laughs from Pascal on the bench afterwards. However Anunoby had a couple of nice buckets in the third especially in the second clip below where he used his strength to get separation for a midrange stepback. That was reminiscent of earlier in the season when Siakam was out and Anunoby was experimenting with being the number one scoring option, putting up his career high of 36 points in his previous trip to Madison Square Garden.

 

Sidenotes: Young Knickerbockers

Knicks fans have been pulling their hair out all season long wondering why Tom Thibodeau insists on playing vets like Alec Burks and Taj Gibson over their recent draft picks. Their two 2020 first rounders in Obi Toppin (8th pick) and Immanuel Quickley (25th) both went off in extended minutes.

Quickley picked up his second NBA triple double, becoming the youngest Knick to do so while scoring 30+ points. Toppin set a career-high of 35 points in Washington on Friday and bumped that up to 42 in his season finale.

https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1513318160539267077

What’s Next?

82 in the books and it’s been a fun ride.

The Raptors DID NOT get that dreaded 12:30 pm slot. Game 1 begins Saturday in Philly at 6pm EDT. Enjoy the play-in tournament in the meantime!

Cover Photo Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

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