Bulls pick up big win at Toronto
The Bulls figured out a way to avoid losing a big lead on the road. Just start slowly and save the best for last.
After trailing by as many as 13 points early, the Bulls outscored Toronto 39-21 in the fourth quarter to post a 116-103 victory Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
The Bulls (44-29) now hold a 1½-game lead over Toronto for third place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls swept the Raptors 4-0 this season, but that won't help them in the event of a tiebreaker. Toronto would likely have the edge in a tie because they'll be a division champ and the Bulls won't.
"I thought we played really well on both sides of the ball in the fourth quarter," coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the game. "We stayed within striking distance, then found a way to win at the end."
The Bulls snapped a three-game road losing streak. In 2 of those 3 defeats, they blew 19-point leads.
Against Toronto, the Bulls trailed most of the way and didn't take the lead for good until Pau Gasol's layup with 4:54 remaining. Aaron Brooks followed with a 3-pointer, then a pair of Jimmy Butler free throws capped a 13-2 run.
Butler, in his second game back from a left-elbow sprain, scored 23 points and hit 7 of 8 shots from the field. Gasol added 18 points, while Tony Snell hit 7 of 9 shots for 17 points. The Bulls shot a season-high 60.8 percent as a team.
"The way they're playing off of each other, I think that's important," Thibodeau said. "The challenge is to bring the best out of all your teammates. I think guys are recognizing that and they're playing to each others' strengths. That's how you have to play; that's smart basketball."
Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry didn't play because of a sore back. His replacement, Greivis Vasquez, led the Raptors with 22 points, while DeMar DeRozan added 20.
Earlier in the day, Derrick Rose gave an update on his recovery from arthroscopic surgery in his left knee. The next step for Rose is to be cleared for full-contact practice.
"I don't have any (pain), so that's a good sign," Rose said at the morning shootaround. "The swelling is gone. So it's all about just getting on the court. Just been taking my time, being patient, doing everything I was supposed to do.
"Whenever I'm ready to come back, that's when I'm going to come back."
When the procedure was done Feb. 27, the Bulls put Rose's return at 4-6 weeks. The four-week mark is this Friday, and Rose doesn't figure to be back that soon. But the Bulls have some days off coming up, which could be a chance for Rose to get some practice time.
"When you've missed the amount of time we've missed, that's a chance to get your house in order, tighten up some screws," Thibodeau said of the practice days.
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