TORONTO, ON – The Chicago Bulls, led by Nikola Vucevic’s 24 points and 14 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan’s 24 points, secured a 116-110 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. The victory ended the Bulls’ four-game losing streak in Toronto, with significant contributions from several players.
Coby White added 23 points, while Patrick Williams scored 12 points. Both Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu contributed 10 points each. A key factor in the Bulls’ win was their dominance in scoring inside the paint, outscoring the Raptors 74-50.
Vucevic, who had a size advantage in the game, capitalized on it by connecting on 12 of 17 attempts from inside the 3-point line and dishing out seven assists. Bulls guard Zach LaVine, however, had a challenging night, scoring eight points and leaving the court early in the third quarter due to a rolled ankle. He did return but was visibly not at his best.
Raptors forward Scottie Barnes had a strong performance with 31 points, just one shy of his career-best. RJ Barrett added 17 points, but the Raptors struggled on the second night of a back-to-back, falling to a 2-6 record in such scenarios.
Toronto’s inconsistency from the 3-point line was evident as they went cold again after a season-high against Miami, missing nine straight shots from distance to start the game. They ended the night 10 for 38 on 3-pointers.
Bruce Brown scored 15 points in his Raptors debut, following the trade that sent Pascal Siakam to Indiana. Newcomers Jordan Nwora and Kira Lewis Jr. were active but did not play.
The Raptors faced an uphill battle throughout the game. After trailing by 11 points at the end of the first quarter, they managed to cut the Bulls’ lead to five points at halftime. Despite Barnes’ efforts in the third quarter, the Bulls maintained their lead heading into the fourth.
Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl missed his sixth straight game due to a sprained left ankle, impacting the team’s interior presence.
Looking ahead, the Bulls host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, while the Raptors travel to face the New York Knicks on the same night. As the season progresses, both teams will aim to build on their performances and improve their standings in the competitive Eastern Conference.
