THINGS GOT OUT OF CONTROL
Raptors rebound with blowout road win over Bulls, 122-83
Raptors Jonas Valanciunas, left, and Malachi Richardson stand by while Justin Holiday of the Bulls reaches for a rebound over Antonio Blakeney — the Raptors’ most lopsided win of the season. Doug Smith’s Raptors-Bulls Game Centre,
Banged up and tired, carrying the weight of their longest losing streak in more than a full NBA season, the Toronto Raptors got the perfect tonic in Chicago on Saturday night in an equally injured and far less skilled team in the Bulls.
Fred VanVleet, coming off one of his worst games as a Raptor, had a season-high 18 points and Toronto took control from the opening tip to register a ridiculously easy 122-83 win and end a three-game losing skid.
Missing Kawhi Leonard (rest), OG Anunoby (wrist), C.J. Miles (hip/groin) and Norm Powell (shoulder), Toronto toyed with the Bulls all night. Kyle Lowry tweaked his right leg/ankle late in the third quarter but finished with eight points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Danny Green was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field for 17 points. Team officials said Lowry had a “sore right ankle” as he watched the final 14 minutes.
None of Toronto’s starters had to play in the fourth quarter when a G League-dominated group that included Jordan Loyd, Chris Boucher and Malachi Richardson mopped up. With two days off before their next game, the Raptors were able to ease into the break with their easiest win of the season, stretching their record to an NBA-best 13-4. á Two sides to the story: Yes, the Raptors were without a handful of players. The Bulls were in much the same boat, missing Zach LaVine (illness) and Lauri Markkanen (elbow). They also didn’t have Denzel Valentine, Bobby Portis and Kris Dunn. They also don’t have nearly the same depth as the Raptors. á Old home week: The game had two Iowans matching wits as NBA head coaches. Toronto’s Nick Nurse was born in Carroll, Iowa and Chicago’s Fred Hoib- erg grew up in Ames, and no one can remember another game with two Iowa-raised head coaches. Hoiberg also told reporters before the game that he made a few bucks — about $50 — working as a helper at camps run by Nurse about 25 years ago. á This and that: It was VanVleet’s first career start and it came in front of about 200 friends and family from his nearly hometown of Rockford, Ill., home of the Peaches … A stat from Friday night in Boston: When Leonard had 31 points and 15 rebounds, he became only the third player in Raptors history with a 30-15 game. Chris Bosh and Vince Carter were the others … Serge Ibaka had a season-high four blocked shots, celebrating one with a Dikembe Mutombo-like finger wag and another by turning both his thumbs down and looking off into the audience … Loyd had his first points as a Raptor in the fourth quarter.
á Up next: After games Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, the Raptors could use a rest and they’ll get it. There was an overnight flight to Orlando, where they’ll take Sunday off, practise Monday and play the Magic — with old friend Terrence Ross — on Tuesday.