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Bulls play host to Raptors at United Center

Dec 14, 2013 - 4:14 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - All three of Chicago's home losses have come this month and the Bulls look to correct the problem Saturday versus the Toronto Raptors at the United Center.

The Bulls split their mini road trip to New York and Milwaukee, and recorded a 91-90 victory over the Bucks Friday night. Mike Dunleavy buried the go-ahead 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds left and finished with 12 points, while Joakim Noah delivered 21 points and 18 rebounds for the Bulls, who made only 7-of-24 from beyond the arc and 42 percent for the game.

"When it left my hand, I thought it had a good chance to go in. I thought it was going to bank in because (John) Henson was out there and I had to get it up over his outstretched arm," Dunleavy said.

Jimmy Butler scored 16 points, Carlos Boozer added 14 and 12 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich netted 13 points in the win, Chicago's third in the last 12 games.

Chicago was able to exact revenge on a Bucks team that handed the Bulls a 78-74 loss on Tuesday.

The Bulls are 6-3 at home and will also host the Orlando Magic. Bulls forward Luol Deng missed his fourth straight game because of tightness in his left calf and a swollen left Achilles.

Deng leads the team with 19.4 ppg and has scored 20 or more points in six straight games, averaging 26.2 points in that time. He is just one of three players (Kevin Durant, Kevin Love) posting averages of 19.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 4.0 apg this season.

Toronto will play nine of the next 12 games on the road and split its recent two-game homestand versus San Antonio and Philadelphia. After losing to the Spurs on Tuesday, the Raptors rebounded with Friday night's 108-100 victory over the Sixers.

The Raptors led 36-21 after the first quarter and were able to hold off the visiting Sixers the rest of the way. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 27 points and Terrence Ross finished with 24. Amir Johnson recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Jonas Valanciunas added 12 points and 13 boards.

"I just have to stay focused, do my job, and know my role," Ross said.

Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons and Patrick Patterson all made their Toronto debuts after being acquired from Sacramento in exchange for Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray on Monday. Vasquez scored 12 points, Salmons had three and Patterson netted five in the win.

Toronto has won two of three games since a five-game slide and owns a 4-6 record as the visitor this season.

Chicago defeated Toronto, 96-80, on Nov. 15 this season at Air Canada Centre and has won six of eight and nine of the last 12 meetings in this series. The Raptors have lost 13 of 19 trips to the Windy City.