DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points, Zach LaVine added 23 and the Chicago Bulls beat the Toronto Raptors 111-105 on Wednesday night.
Nikola Vucevic also scored 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, notching his fifth straight double-double and helping the Bulls win consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 7.
Gary Trent Jr. led the Raptors with 32 points, while OG Anunoby added 23 points. Toronto has lost six of its last nine games.
A LaVine layup and free throws from DeRozan pushed the Bulls back on top. Trent was then ejected after being called for his second technical foul of the game. LaVine hit the technical free throw and Vucevic followed with a three-pointer that sealed the victory for Chicago.
VOOCH COMES UP HUGE!<a href=”https://twitter.com/NBCSChicago?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NBCSChicago</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/NikolaVucevic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NikolaVucevic</a> <a href=”https://t.co/KbGzVMDWn1″>pic.twitter.com/KbGzVMDWn1</a>
—@chicagobulls
DeRozan appeared to pick up two technical fouls in the final minutes of the third quarter. However, his first was deemed a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul for grabbing the net illegally while playing defence, which allowed him to stay in the game.
Toronto erased a 14-point deficit in the second, completing a 19-5 run punctuated by a Malachi Flynn three-pointer and a driving layup from Chris Boucher. The Bulls bounced back thanks to a combined 18 second-quarter points from LaVine and DeRozan. Chicago outscored the Raptors 26-9 through the final six minutes of the quarter and carried a 67-50 advantage into halftime.
DeMar’s got the playmaking going tonight 👀<a href=”https://twitter.com/NBCSChicago?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@NBCSChicago</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/DeMar_DeRozan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@DeMar_DeRozan</a> <a href=”https://t.co/HfK82sdxRm”>pic.twitter.com/HfK82sdxRm</a>
—@chicagobulls
More Stories
It’s ‘a labour of love’ on and off the rink as Ontario roller derby team preps for playoffs in U.S. | CBC News
FIBA Men’s 3X3 Basketball World Tour: DAY 2 – Utsunomiya
CBC Sports Late Night: 2024 Athletics Wanda Diamond League – Shanghai – Suzhou