Preview: Raptors at Bulls

[March 20, 2015]  Teams vying for the third spot in the Eastern Conference will meet twice in the next week starting Friday when the Toronto Raptors visit the Chicago Bulls. The Raptors hold a one-half game and have won the first two meetings this season, including ringing up an all-time series-high 129 points in a nine-point victory Dec. 22. These two games could decide homecourt advantage should the clubs meet in the second round of the playoffs.

Injuries to stars Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler have slowed the Bulls, who have lost five of seven, but rookie Nikola Mirotic has helped minimize an injury to forward Taj Gibson. Mirotic has averaged 20.3 points in nine March outings and exploded for 20 of his 25 points in the second half as the Bulls beat Indiana 103-86 on Wednesday. "It's great to see young players prove their value and prove their talent and help us get wins," Chicago forward Pau Gasol told reporters. "Once we get everyone back — and hopefully we stay healthy — the coaching staff has to figure how to make sure they take advantage of the players that are playing at a high level now."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, SNN (Toronto), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (41-27): DeMar DeRozan drained all 12 free throws en route to 21 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and 15 rebounds in a 105-100 win over Minnesota on Wednesday, Toronto's third win in four games after losing nine of 10. The Raptors have lost their last eight games against teams with winning records and they may have to play without All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, who injured his back on a hard fall in the third quarter Wednesday and did not return.

ABOUT THE BULLS (41-28): Gasol had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Mike Dunleavy added 21 points in the win over Indiana. Chicago is hopeful that Butler (elbow) and Gibson (ankle) can return for the Raptors game. "I want Taj to come back because we need him," Mirotic told reporters. "For me, always the most important thing is the team, and right now we have 13 games left, so every game is really important for us and we'll go step by step."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lowry has scored 54 points in the two contests versus Chicago this season while Rose and Butler each scored 20-plus in both contests.

2. Over his past 10 games, DeRozan has averaged 23.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 91.8 percent from the foul line.

3. Bulls C Joakim Noah, averaging just 7.6 points on a career-low 43.9 percent shooting this season, had six points, 14 rebounds and seven assists against Indiana after sitting the final six minutes of the Bulls' loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Bulls 101, Raptors 98

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