• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Bulls look to finish strong vs. Raptors

Apr 15, 2009 - 4:58 AM By Matt Beardmore Stats Writer

Toronto (32-49) at Chicago (41-40), 8 p.m. EDT

CHICAGO (AP) -- A playoff berth has already been locked up, but the surging Chicago Bulls still doesn't know where they'll travel to open the postseason.

They'll find out Wednesday night as they wrap up the regular season against the Toronto Raptors.

Chicago needs a win or a Philadelphia loss at Cleveland to secure the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round matchup with Southeast Division champion Orlando, the No. 3 seed.

If Chicago (41-40) loses and the slumping 76ers win, the Bulls will drop to seventh and face defending world champion Boston.

"It's so tight right now that every game is needed," said Chicago rookie coach Vinny Del Negro, whose team has won 14 of 15 at home by an average of 12.1 points.

Monday's 91-88 victory over Detroit dropped the Pistons into eighth and assures the Bulls of at least the No. 7 spot.

"This guarantees we avoid Cleveland in the first round, and that's big," Chicago center Brad Miller said.

The way the Bulls have been playing, though, they will likely enter their first playoff series in two seasons with plenty of confidence. After losing its third straight -- 104-101 at Philadelphia on March 13 -- Chicago has won 12 of 15.

A victory on Wednesday would give the Bulls their first six-game winning streak since taking seven in a row from Nov. 25-Dec. 8, 2006.

The NBA's regular-season grind hasn't slowed down Derrick Rose at all. The rookie point guard is averaging 19.0 points and 6.8 assists during Chicago's winning streak. He's also scoring 16.8 points per game and averaging a rookie-best 6.3 assists.

"My teammates were telling me that this was a playoff game and we had to step it up," Rose said Monday after scoring 11 of his team-high 24 in the fourth quarter.

Ben Gordon, scoring 20.7 points per game, is averaging 23.4 on 50.0 percent (18-of-36) shooting from 3-point range during the Bulls' five-game run. In the last meeting with the Raptors, Gordon finished with 37 points - including a game-tying jumper over Chris Bosh at the end of regulation - but the Bulls lost 134-129 in overtime on March 29.

Toronto, which set a franchise record for points in that win, looks to close out the season with its third straight victory. The Raptors (32-49) defeated lowly Washington 97-96 on Monday as Bosh sank a three-pointer with 9.9 seconds left to cap a 17-3 run.

Bosh's last 3-pointer was March 6 against Miami.

"I took my time, thought about it, spun the ball, thought about it some more, practiced my release first and then let it go," Bosh said after tying his franchise-record with his 42nd double-double of the season with 25 points and 15 rebounds. "It went in, I'm happy ... go for the kill, why not."

Shawn Marion also had 25 points and 15 rebounds. In three games against the Bulls this season - two while with Miami - Marion is averaging 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds.

A day before being acquired from the Heat, Marion scored the game-winner on a dunk with 1.1 seconds left in Miami's 95-93 win in Chicago on Feb. 12.

The Raptors' Andrea Bargnani is questionable after missing Monday's win with a sore left heel.

Toronto has won three of its last four games at the United Center after losing eight straight in Chicago.