Raptors run rings around baffled Bulls
Toronto ends three-game losing streak with one of largest margins of victory in franchise history
CHICAGO — “Where’s Jordan when we need him,” asked a Bulls fan seated close to press row late in Toronto’s 122-83 blowout on Saturday night.
Even Air Jordan might not have been able to keep this one close as a short-handed, but determined group of Raptors avoided losing four straight games for the first time in nearly two full years to improve to an NBA-best 13-4.
Kawhi Leonard was rested, OG Anunoby, C.J. Miles and Norman Powell were injured and Kyle Lowry left in the third quarter with an ankle injury, but Toronto was never threatened by a Bulls team missing top players Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen, and other key contributors.
A 13-point halftime edge ballooned thanks to a 9-0 Raptors run to start the third quarter spurred by Serge Ibaka’s shot-blocking and scoring.
Toronto’s only had a larger margin of victory three times in franchise history, led by a 44-point laugher over Atlanta in 2016.
A night after allowing Boston to go off for that team’s season high for field goal percentage, Toronto held the Bulls to just 35-per-cent shooting while shooting better than 50 per cent themselves. Toronto played all 12 dressed players, including Montreal’s Chris Boucher who has been dominant for Raptors 905 of the G League.
Illinois native Fred VanVleet broke out for 18 points, Danny Green had 17 — hitting all seven of his shot attempts — Ibaka had 16, Pascal Siakam 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists. No Chicago player scored more than 12 points.
“He really looked like his old self,” Nick Nurse said of VanVleet. “He looked like a different guy out there tonight and that’s good.”
Lowry said he’d be fine and joked that he didn’t know how he hurt his ankle, blaming it on a ghost character from an old basketball movie that DeMar DeRozan has also referenced in the past. Lowry was only on the court at that point because he’s been unhappy with his shooting (he cursed loudly a few times at one point after a miss) and was trying to find a rhythm with a day off on Sunday looming.
DURANT-GREEN DUSTUP DOESN’T WORRY CURRY
Golden State’s Stephen Curry knows that the rift between teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green might be viewed by outsiders as something that can doom the Warriors this season. To them, he has a message. “That’s not going to happen,” Curry said.
Curry spoke publicly Saturday night for the first time about the testy exchange between Durant and Green — they went at each other late in what became an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last Monday night, and the fallout has been a major talking point around the NBA since — and lauded both players for the way they’re handing the situation.
“I think the way we’ve handled it as a team, the way Draymond’s handled it, the way KD’s handled it, it’s been nothing but professionalism,” Curry said.
Green is getting the weekend off; the Warriors held him out of their game in Dallas on Saturday because of an ongoing issue with a toe on his right foot, and he isn’t expected to play when the two-time defending NBA champions visit San Antonio today.