Raptors end regular season with 120-100 win over Timberwolves

Minnesota Timberwolves' Jared Terrell controls the ball around Toronto Raptors' Jeremy Lin in the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday April 9, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Text:

Joe Ziemer, The Associated Press
Published Tuesday, April 9, 2019 10:45PM EDT

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and the Toronto Raptors closed their regular season with a 120-100 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

Fred VanVleet scored 16 points, and Chris Boucher had a career-high 15 points and 13 rebounds off the bench for the Raptors, who finished the regular season at 58-24.

Andrew Wiggins and Gorgui Dieng each scored 16 points for the Timberwolves, who played without All-Star centre Karl-Anthony Towns.

Toronto went on a 20-5 run over the final 5:16 of the second quarter and led 69-47 at halftime.

Boucher scored 11 points in 10 minutes in the second quarter. Boucher's previous career best was the nine points he scored Dec. 28 against the Orlando Magic.

The Timberwolves never got closer than 15 points in the second half, and the Raptors led by as many as 32 points in the final two periods.

Towns did not play because of knee soreness. Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders said Towns would travel with the team for Wednesday's season finale in Denver and be a game-time decision.

The Raptors set a franchise record with their 26th road victory of the season.

GOOD TIMING

The Raptors were in Minneapolis on Monday night, allowing coach Nick Nurse and his staff to attend Monday night's NCAA title game. Nurse played against Virginia coach Tony Bennett when Nurse was at Northern Iowa and Bennett was at Wisconsin-Green Bay. "I think I held him to 29 points one time," Nurse joked.

TIP-INS

Raptors: G Kyle Lowry (rest), F/C Serge Ibaka (rest) and G Patrick McCaw (sprained right thumb) did not play. VanVleet started in place of Lowry. . Toronto reached 1,000 made 3-pointers in a season for the first time.

Timberwolves: G Jerryd Bayless (right ankle contusion) and F Taj Gibson (strained left calf) did not play. They joined Towns and long-term absentees F Robert Covington (bone bruise on right knee), F Luol Deng (left Achilles soreness), G Derrick Rose (right elbow surgery) and G Jeff Teague (left foot inflammation) in missing the game. . Dieng made his first start since April 12, 2017. . Tyus Jones had his stretch of 129:18 without a turnover snapped.

UP NEXT

Raptors: Host either Brooklyn Nets or Orlando Magic in Eastern Conference playoffs.

Timberwolves: At Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.