Snell helps Chicago Bulls tame Raptors
About a week ago, Jimmy Butler asked Fred Hoiberg to coach the Chicago Bulls harder.
Well, maybe actions speak louder than words. A turn on the bench turned out to be great motivation for forward Tony Snell.
After not playing at all in two of the previous three games, Snell seemed to be the recipient of a confidence transplant Monday night against Toronto. Snell scored 19 of his 22 points in the final 13 minutes as the Bulls rallied past the Raptors 104-97 at the United Center.
It wasn't just the numbers, it was the manner he carried himself on the court. The notoriously quiet Snell called for the ball, shot the 3 without hesitation and drove the basket aggressively.
“I was watching what was going on while I was sitting down, just trying to see what I could do differently,” Snell said in the locker room. “When I checked in the game, I just went out there and tried to do the best I could.”
Snell's late surge overshadowed some strong performances by Derrick Rose, who hit 3 baskets from 3-point range for the second time this season and finished with 20 points, and Pau Gasol, who piled up 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.
And even before Snell took off, the Bulls' bench made an impact. The starters had another rough defensive first quarter, letting Toronto shoot 54.2 percent from the field while falling behind 32-23. Raptors big men Luis Scola and Jonas Valanciunas combined to hit 9 of 10 shots.
The deficit evaporated quickly, though, thanks to the new double-oven lineup. Both Aaron Brooks and Bobby Portis heated up in a hurry. The two combined to score the Bulls' first 19 points of the second quarter.
“We have a bunch of looks on this team,” Brooks said. “You never know, any given day. Tony stepped up. There's a lot of talent on this team. Guys just got to step up when their name is called.”
The Bulls (17-12) took control by finishing the third quarter on a 16-5 run, ending with back-to-back 3-pointers from Snell and Rose. The lead grew in the fourth quarter as Snell knocked down 2 more 3-pointers, hit some runners and found Taj Gibson for a monster dunk.
It's possible Snell wouldn't have played in this game, either, if Doug McDermott wasn't a late scratch due to a sore right knee. Hoiberg said he didn't find out about McDermott's issue until 10 minutes before tip-off.
“He did not complain about it after practice or shootaround,” Hoiberg said. “He must have made a move that triggered something. We will re-evaluate him in the morning.”
Hoiberg said he did have a chat with Snell recently about his reduced role. Snell started 21 of the team's first 25 games.
“He is one of those kids who is easy to coach,” Hoiberg said. “I took him out of the lineup and he took it like a champ. 'Whatever you think we have to do, coach, to win the game.' I told him to keep himself ready.
“He had some good workouts, then went out and responded. He did it not just in the fourth quarter but throughout the game and on both sides of the court. It was awesome.”
Toronto (19-13) scored just 65 points in the final three quarters after racking up 32 in the first. Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 28 points.
• Follow Mike's Bulls reports on Twitter @McGrawDHBulls.