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 Chicago's reserve forward torched the Raptors for a second
straight game, pouring in a team-high 29 points as the Bulls held on
for a 109-107 victory on Monday night at Air Canada Center.
"It's something about playing one of the top teams in the East gets
you motivated," said McDermott, who had a career-high 30 points when
the teams last met in February in Chicago.
Chicago (33-32) recorded its ninth consecutive victory over the
Raptors. Toronto (44-21) has not defeated Chicago since Dec. 31,
2013.
McDermott, a second-year player averaging nine points per game, had
24 points in the first half, shooting 7-for-7 from the field,
including all three of his 3-point attempts, and 7-for-8 on free
throws. He wound up 9-for-11 from the floor, 4-for-5 from long
range. He didn't attempt a second-half free throw.
"I was just in that zone, everything I shot felt good after I made
my first couple," McDermott said of the first half. "The second half
was tough just because they were all over me, but I just felt in
that zone the first half and I was happy I was able to help my team
win."
The Bulls led by as many as 13 points early in the fourth quarter,
but the Raptors, who had won 15 of their previous 16 games at home,
battled back, twice making it a one-point game in the final 20
seconds.
"I think we got into them too late defensively," said Toronto's
DeMar DeRozan, who was driving for the potential game-tying basket
in the final second when the Bulls' Jimmy Butler forced a turnover.
"We let McDermott get into a rhythm. (E'Twaun) Moore, he got it
going.
"We gave up a lot of key rebounds but even with that we were still
in the game."
Nikola Mirotic finished with 17 points and five rebounds for Chicago
while Moore had 17 points, four rebounds and four assists.
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Kyle Lowry led the way for the Raptors with a game-high 33 points,
11 rebounds and seven assists. DeRozan added 27 points and five
rebounds as Toronto closed out a seven-game homestand at 5-2.
Butler, who returned to the lineup for the Bulls after missing the
previous three games with a knee injury, said "maybe we bring it to
play every night against them" in trying to explain the win streak
against Toronto.
"A win is a win no matter how bad I played," said Butler, who
finished with 13 points, six assists and five rebounds in 34
minutes. "I think we did our job and at the end of the day we won on
the road.
"Big win. I am proud that we got this one."
The Raptors lost center Jonas Valanciunas in the first quarter due
to a left hand injury. X-rays were negative on the big Lithuanian,
who had eight points, ending his double-digit scoring streak at a
career-high 17 games.
"There's nothing wrong with it, it's fine," said Toronto head coach
Dwane Casey.
Casey said he thought his Raptors might have been guilty of
underestimating the short-staffed Bulls, as Mike Dunleavy was out
with a stomach virus and Derrick Rose continued to sit with an
abductor strain.
"We were not focused going into the game," said Casey, who saw his
team score the first two points of the night and never lead again.
"After preaching, preaching, telling them I don't care who doesn't
play, it's the same trap game."
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