Raptors' fading playoff hopes take another hit with loss to Bulls

Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine each scored 22 points and the Chicago Bulls beat the Toronto Raptors 122-113 on Thursday night for their third straight victory.

LaVine also had 15 assists, and Lauri Markkanen came off the bench to score 18 points, making eight of 10 shots.

"I think we've got to be a team now that that really tries to jam it inside," said Bulls coach Billy Donovan, who has worked the 6-foot-11 Vucevic into the offence since the deadline trade with Orlando. "I think we're getting more comfortable offensively. We have a better understanding and a better comfort level with how we're tying to play."

Markkanen played only 18 minutes.

"We're trying to be more physical as a team, and I think for the most part we've done that," Markkanen said. "I'm a competitive guy and I want as many minutes as I can get, but with the new guys coming in we all have to make sacrifices."

WATCH | Boucher's effort not enough as Raptors fall to Bulls:

Short-handed Raptors fall to Bulls

4 years ago

Duration 0:41

Chicago wins 122-113. Toronto only dresses 8 players due to injuries, a suspension and COVID-19 protocols.

Chris Boucher scored a career-high 38 points and had 19 rebounds for the Raptors. They have lost 15 of 18.

Pascal Siakam added 27 points and eight rebounds for Toronto.

LaVine and Vucevic combined for 15 points on an early 19-3 run that gave the Bulls their first 10-point lead.

Chicago ran off 13 straight points while the Raptors missed 10 straight shots, and a 3-pointer by Coby White made it 51-31 with 6:04 left in the first half.

WATCH | Boucher has a career night vs. Bulls:

Montreal's Chris Boucher has career night in loss to Bulls

4 years ago

Duration 1:20

Chris Boucher scores 38 points and grabs 19 rebounds, both career-highs, in Toronto's 122-113 loss to Chicago. The Canadian became the 1st Raptor to record 35+ points and 15+ points rebounds in a game since Chris Bosh in 2010.

Two 3-pointers and a three-point play by Boucher helped Toronto cut the margin to seven late in the fourth quarter, but LaVine closed it out with a layup and a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left.

"He had a night, that's for sure," Toronto coach Nick Nurse said about Boucher, who made 14 of 24 shots. "He was hitting shots that I don't think I've seen him take before. And he obviously was a problem on the glass for them on both sides."

Rookie Malachi Flynn had nine points and eight assists in his first NBA start for the Raptors, who had only eight players available for the game. They signed Freddie Gillespie to a 10-day contract early Thursday, but the 6-foot-9 former G-League player had not cleared the NBA's entry protocol in time to play.

WATCH | North Courts — Raptors mailbag:

Should the Raptors retire Kyle Lowry's jersey?

4 years ago

Duration 4:36

CBC Sports' Vivek Jacob and Jevohn Shepherd answer fan questions about the Toronto Raptors in the first North Courts mailbag.