Final
Raptors pay a visit to Bulls
Mar 20, 2015 - 2:22 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Two of the Eastern Conference's best square off Friday night when the Toronto Raptors travel to the United Center to take on the Chicago Bulls.The Raptors are third in the east, a half-game ahead of the Bulls. Chicago is 2 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Central Division lead, while Toronto is two behind in the race for the No. 2 seed.
Both teams should watch their backs as the Washington Wizards trail the Bulls by a half-game and the Raptors by a full game.
The Raptors head into Friday's contest with a two-game winning streak, but the second victory proved costly. All-Star guard Kyle Lowry left in the third quarter of Toronto's 105-100 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, after taking a hard fall on his back.
"One of those things where he hit the floor and tweaked his back," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said.
Lowry's availability for Friday is unknown.
Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan posted 21 points and seven boards, Terrence Ross netted 15 points and Patrick Patterson added 14 off the bench for the Raptors, who have won three of their last four games on the heels of a 1-9 stretch.
An Andrew Wiggins tip-in and Chase Budinger jumper pulled the Wolves within 98-96 with 2:44 remaining, but Toronto scored seven of the next nine points to put the game away.
The Bulls halted a two-game losing streak last time out with a 103-86 home victory on Wednesday over Central Division rival, the Indiana Pacers.
Mike Dunleavy scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half and the Bulls led for the final 39-plus minutes. Nikola Mirotic led the way with 25 points off the bench and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls, who returned home after losing the last two games of a three-game road trip in Charlotte and Oklahoma City.
Tony Snell scored 14 points, Aaron Brooks added 13 and Joakim Noah had 14 rebounds for the Bulls.
Chicago outrebounded Indiana, 52-38.
"The rebounding got us into the open floor, got us into a rhythm and got us some easy baskets," said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.
Dunleavy gave the Bulls the lead for good on a 3-pointer that made it 20-18 with 3:14 to play in the first quarter.
The Bulls went up by as much as 14 points on the way to a 51-41 advantage at the break. They never let the Pacers get closer than three points in the third quarter and led 76-68 going into the fourth, where a 7-0 burst midway through put the margin in double digits for the rest of the game.
It was Chicago's first double-figure victory since Feb. 23.
The Bulls won both meetings this season and the two will collide in Toronto on Wednesday. The Bulls won at home on Dec. 22 to snap a three-game home losing streak in the series.
- TORONTO: 92
CHICAGO: 108
Final
Mar 20 10:18 PM - TORONTO: 68
CHICAGO: 86
End of 3rd
Mar 20 9:48 PM - TORONTO: 68
CHICAGO: 86
End of 3rd
Mar 20 9:47 PM - TORONTO: 48
CHICAGO: 60
Halftime
Mar 20 9:03 PM - TORONTO: 24
CHICAGO: 32
End of 1st
Mar 20 8:35 PM - TORONTO: 0
CHICAGO: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Mar 20 8:11 PM
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