Preview: Raptors at Bulls

[December 28, 2015]  The Toronto Raptors and the Chicago Bulls both have plans to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for Eastern Conference supremacy, and both teams have looked like legitimate contenders at times over the last month. The Raptors will try to secure their third straight win when they visit the Bulls on Monday.

Toronto began its two-game trip by running Milwaukee off the floor in the fourth quarter of a 111-90 victory on Saturday, outscoring the Bucks 35-11 in the final period to turn a tight game into a 111-90 rout. The Raptors’ last seven field goals of the game were 3-pointers, including a 15-0 run to close the contest that featured 3-pointers from five different players. The Bulls aren’t quite as prolific from beyond the arc and were burned on the perimeter defensively in a 118-111 loss at the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. The Mavericks went 16-of-33 from beyond the arc while Chicago hit 8-of-21 to provide the difference in the contest.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, Sportsnet (Toronto), CSN Chicago

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (19-12): Small forward Terrence Ross battled inconsistency this season and was mired in a deep slump to begin December, bottoming out with a scoreless 29 minutes against Philadelphia on Dec. 13. Ross bounced back with 10 points the next night and has been on fire of late, averaging 16.2 points over the last five games after scoring in double figures in just three of his first 19 games this season. The 24-year-old was part of the 3-point barrage in the fourth quarter on Saturday and is 21-of-43 from beyond the arc in the last five contests.

ABOUT THE BULLS (16-12): The high of a 105-96 Christmas Day win at the Oklahoma City Thunder quickly disappeared with Saturday’s setback at Dallas, which dropped Chicago to 1-4 in its last five games. Two of those losses came at home, where the Bulls will play three straight and five of their next six starting with Monday’s tilt against the Raptors. The bright spot against Dallas came from point guard Derrick Rose, who went for 25 points on 12-of-20 shooting while logging 37 minutes on the second night of the back-to-back.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Raptors C Bismack Biyombo is averaging 15.2 rebounds in the last six games.

2. Chicago C Pau Gasol is averaging 22.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in his last four games.

3. Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas (broken hand) missed the last 10 games but has been cleared to practice.

PREDICTION: Bulls 102, Raptors 101

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