Raptors end 11-game losing streak against Bulls

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have finally beaten the Chicago Bulls.

DeMar DeRozan poured in 42 points as the Raptors rallied on a night marred by fisticuffs to beat Chicago 122-120 in overtime after a fierce fourth-quarter comeback on Tuesday.

It was Toronto’s first victory over Chicago in a dozen games, a streak of futility that stretched back to Dec. 31 of 2013.

Cory Joseph added 19 points, while P.J. Tucker had eight points to go with 12 rebounds for the Raptors (42-29), who’ve won three in a row.

Jimmy Butler led the Bulls (3338) with 37 points, while Rajon Rondo added 24.

Serge Ibaka had 16 points before being ejected for exchanging punches with Chicago’s Robin Lopez. Lopez, who was also ejected, swung first and Ibaka responded while players on both teams tried to separate them. Raptors assistant coach Jamaal Magloire and Nikola Mirotic received matching technicals in the brouhaha.

Ibaka and Lopez appeared to have words before Lopez swatted the ball away from the Raptors’ big man, and the scuffle ensued. The penalty for a fighting technical is a fine up to $50,000 and/or suspension.

The Raptors never led until overtime and trailed by as many as 16 points. The Bulls took a 94-79 lead into the fourth quarter.

Toronto finally pulled even during a thrilling stretch that started with some solid defence and a deft DeRozan steal off an unknowing Rondo, and included back-to-back three-pointers by Tucker.

The Raptors trailed by four points when DeRozan responded with a pair of baskets, and a Butler miss sent the game into overtime tied at 113-113.

A 16-foot turnaround jumper by DeRozan, who also had eight assists and seven boards, and a putback by Patrick Patterson put the Raptors up by four with 45 seconds left in OT. With the crowd on its feet, Joseph drilled a jumper that all-but clinched the victory with 18 seconds left.