Preview: Bulls at Raptors

[March 25, 2015]  The Chicago Bulls look to beat the Toronto Raptors for the second time in less than a week in a crucial Eastern Conference clash on Wednesday. The Bulls have won three out of their last four, including a 98-86 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, to pull ahead of the Raptors by a half-game in the race for the third seed. Chicago has beaten Toronto in three consecutive meetings at Air Canada Centre and hopes to continue its recent dominance in the series by winning its fifth straight overall.

The Raptors missed a chance to clinch a playoff spot when their comeback attempt fell short in the 108-104 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Toronto has dropped five of its last six on the road but has won two in a row at home, and it will open up a three-game stretch in which it hopes to officially secure a berth in the postseason. The Raptors look to bounce back and beat the Bulls for the first time since Dec 31, 2013.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Chicago, TSN Toronto

ABOUT THE BULLS (43-29): Nikola Mirotic scored 14 of his team-high 28 points in the fourth quarter while Pau Gasol added 27 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots as Chicago clinched a playoff spot with the win over the Hornets. "What Niko is doing right now with this team in the situation we are in is remarkable," Gasol told reporters. "You have to give him a lot of credit, and I hope he continues to play at this level for the rest of the way." Jimmy Butler produced 19 points and nine rebounds after missing the previous 11 games with an elbow injury.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (42-29): DeMar DeRozan went 12-of-12 from the free-throw line en route to a team-high 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss to the Pistons. Lou Williams added 19 points off the bench, but missed the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final seconds, while fellow reserve Patrick Patterson had 13 points and four assists. Kyle Lowry scored five points in 11 minutes before he left the game in the second quarter with back spasms, and his availability for Wednesday's game is uncertain.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Bulls have won 10 of the last 14 meetings with the Raptors.

2. DeRozan has scored over 20 points in a personal-best six straight games.

3. Gasol leads the NBA in double-doubles with 47.

PREDICTION: Bulls 101, Raptors 97

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