LDN - Sports

Preview: Bulls at Raptors

[November 07, 2017] The Toronto Raptors' long-awaited return home resulted in a disappointing loss. They will try to secure their first home victory in well over two weeks when they host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

After going 3-3 on their first major road trip of the season - capped by an impressive win at Utah - the Raptors came back to Air Canada Centre and put forth their lowest-scoring effort of the season in a 107-96 loss to the Washington Wizards on Sunday. "We have to decide what kind of team we're going to be. Our starts have been horrendous," head coach Dwane Casey told reporters, referencing a first quarter in which Toronto was outscored 32-17. The Bulls had only 19 points in both the first and second quarters and finished with just 90 in an overtime loss to New Orleans at home on Saturday. The Raptors won the first meeting 117-100 in the season opener for both teams last month, despite getting 11 points from All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), TSN (Toronto)

ABOUT THE BULLS (2-6): Chicago continues to chuck up loads of 3-pointers - at least 28 in every game - but accuracy remains an issue, as it has hit less than 30 percent in five of eight contests, including Saturday's 11-for-42 effort. Justin Holiday is at 28.6 percent over a five-game stretch after a hot start to the season and leading scorer Lauri Markkanen was 2-for-11 against the Pelicans. Power forward Bobby Portis will return from an eight-game suspension for an altercation with teammate Nikola Mirotic and make his season debut Tuesday.

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ABOUT THE RAPTORS (5-4): Kyle Lowry's difficult start to the season continued Sunday, as the All-Star point guard was ejected after missing all four of his shot attempts in 12 lackluster minutes. The 31-year-old is averaging 11.9 points - roughly half his output last season - while shooting 37.6 percent, and his ejection gave backup Fred VanVleet a chance to take advantage of some extra playing time. "We just tried to bring energy and change the pace of the game," VanVleet - who scored eight of his 10 points in the second half - told the media. "Obviously, we got a little bit of a spark there to get us back in it, but we have to close it out down the stretch."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. DeRozan has scored at least 24 points in seven of his last eight contests.

2. Bulls PG Jerian Grant has 27 assists against two turnovers in his last four games.

3. Toronto entered Monday shooting a league-worst 30.5 percent from 3-point distance after ranking 13th a season ago (36.3).

PREDICTION: Raptors 108, Bulls 99

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