Raptors end weirdest NBA losing streak in weirdest way possible

Up until overtime on Tuesday night, the Toronto Raptors had a Chicago Bulls problem. Coming into the game, the Raptors had lost 11 straight games to the Bulls, with their last win against Chicago coming on Dec. 31, 2013. 2013!

On Tuesday night, the Raptors finally ended that drought in one of the strangest games we’ve seen all year, beating the Bulls, 122-120, in overtime.

With the Bulls dominating the Raptors for the first three quarters, the game took a wild turn as the quarter came to a close. The Bulls extended their lead to 15 late in the third quarter, which is when things got chippy. Robin Lopez and Serge Ibaka threw punches under the basket, both immediately getting ejected from the game. We had actual punches in an NBA game!

After a moment like that, one team usually catches fire. This time it was the Raptors. Late in the fourth quarter, Toronto went on a 15-0 run to tie the game at 109 with two minutes left. Regulation came down to a final shot from both teams, where both Jimmy Butler and DeMar DeRozan airballed their chances, and the game went straight to overtime.

It should be said that this was one of the strangest and most exciting games of the year. This sequence explains how bizarre things got as the Raptors clawed their way back against the Bulls. What is even going on here?

The Raptors finally took their first lead of the game with 1:24 left in overtime, and were able to hold on for the win down the stretch. For a streak that started way back on Feb. 19, 2014, the Raptors finally got over their weird issue with the Bulls. DeRozan led the Raptors with 42 points on the night, while Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 37.

At least we still have the TNT Bulls.