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Bulls 104, Raptors 88: Chicago Wins Big, Takes Over Eighth Playoff Spot In East
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Derrick Rose dropped in a game-high 26 points and handed out seven assists, leading the Bulls to a thorough 104-88 drubbing of the Raptors in a battle of teams fighting for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The lopsided win gives Chicago a one-game lead over Toronto for the No. 8 seed in the conference with two games to play, though the Raptors hold the tiebreaker by winning the season series, 2-1.
Joakim Noah scored 18 points to go with 19 rebounds, while Luol Deng added 14 and seven for the Bulls, who have won four of six and host Boston on Tuesday and visit Charlotte on Wednesday to end their regular season slate.
“We control our own destiny. We’ve got two more to go,” Noah said.
The Raptors didn't have Chris Bosh to run their offense through and shot 41.1 percent from the floor in the loss, their fifth straight. Sonny Weems and Andrea Bargnani each netted 18 points for Toronto, which heads to Detroit on Monday and hosts New York on Wednesday in its finale.
Hedo Turkoglu, who suffered a nasal fracture Wednesday against Boston, pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds and dished out nine assists but made just 2- of-12 from the floor for six points in the setback.
“Maybe I should have taken better shots offensively,” Turkoglu said. “I have to put the game behind me. We’ve got to concentrate on the next two games.”
Chicago held a 10-point lead at halftime and took the Air Canada Centre crowd out of it by outscoring the hosts, 26-17, in the third.
Rose put in consecutive buckets during an eight-point spurt that yielded a 71-52 lead with 7:38 left, and then scored six straight for an 80-63 lead after the Raptors had cut it to 11.
Noah’s late bucket put the visitors on top 84-65 heading to the fourth, and Chicago led by as many as 25 in the final stanza to cruise for the much- needed win.
The Bulls led 28-23 after the first quarter and increased the margin to 41-29 on a Kirk Hinrich three-pointer 3:20 into the second stanza.
A Bargnani jumper capped a 12-2 Raptors run a little later, cutting the deficit to 45-43 with under five minutes left in the frame, but the Bulls scored nine of the final 11 points of the half for a 58-48 lead at the break.
Bosh is out for the remainder of the regular season due to a facial fracture suffered on Tuesday...Jarrett Jack scored 14 points off the bench for the Raptors, who were outscored, 17-9, at the free throw line...Taj Gibson scored 11 points, while Flip Murray and Hakim Warrick each added 10 for Chicago.
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