Playoff-bound Raptors sit Siakam, other regulars in win over Bucks to end regular season

Gary Trent Jr. scored 23 points as the hometown Toronto Raptors downed the Milwaukee Bucks 121-105, with both teams resting key players Sunday ahead of the NBA playoffs.

Precious Achiuwa had a double-double for Toronto (41-41) with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Malachi Flynn scored a season-high 20 off the bench.

Bobby Portis Jr. scored 16 for Milwaukee (58-24) and Meyers Leonard earned a double-double with 10 points and 12 assists.

Raptors leading scorer Pascal Siakam, point guard Fred VanVleet, and defensive stalwart O.G. Anunoby all sat out the regular-season finale to rest before the post-season.

The Raptors finished ninth in the NBA's Eastern Conference and will host the No. 10 Chicago Bulls in a play-in game Wednesday. The winner meets the loser of the seventh and eighth seeds game between the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Milwaukee had already clinched the best record in the NBA and rested superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, point guard Jrue Holiday and centre Brook Lopez.

Toronto head coach Nick Nurse said before the game that Trent would play "as many minutes as he can handle," after the shooting guard missed significant time with an elbow injury and lower back spasms.

"He's been out there working pretty hard for the last 10 days," said Nurse of Trent's preparation for Wednesday's play-in game.

"But there is nothing like some game reps to try to get him back. We're certainly going to need him."

Goran Dragic was booed by a sellout of 19,800 at Scotiabank Arena when he came off Milwaukee's bench in the first quarter.

Dragic played five games for Toronto in the 2021-22 season before stepping away from the team for "personal reasons," and leading to his trade to San Antonio.

The Spurs bought out his contract