Chicago Bulls at Raptors: Preview & 3 keys to victory

The Bulls have owned the Raptors over the past two seasons. Will their dominance end tonight?

Every team has a nemesis, and for the Toronto Raptors, the opponent who brings pain is the Chicago Bulls. The men from the windy city are here to close out the Raptors home stand, and regardless of how banged-up they are (make no mistake – they are hurtin’), the Bulls always give the Raptors a headache.

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Creating a fact-rich preview can be a challenge at this point in the season, as so many players are battling injuries. This game is an extreme example. Please accept that I’m offering the best data I can, though some players who are listed as “out” may dress, and vice versa.

For instance, the Bulls media notes list Pau Gasol as the starting centre, yet the AM report on ESPN informs that he wasn’t on the team plane to our city due to a swollen knee. Jimmy Butler was “out”, now he’s “questionable”. [UPDATE: As per Twitter, Butler will play.]

Derrick Rose has a new injury which has sidelined him (there seems to be agreement here), a tweaked groin muscle. Health problems have plagued the Bulls all season, and are a major reason why they are outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture, sitting ninth with a 32-32 mark.

If I were freshman coach Fred Hoiberg, I’d let this game go and hope to have his troops healthy against weaker opponents. I guess we’ll see.

Justin Holiday is listed as the point guard. This will be his second start as a Bull, which gives you an idea of how desperate they are. I have no recall of him, and the few clips I’ve seen show a long, slow-footed distributor. He won a ring last year as a benchwarmer on the Warriors; the year before, he played in Hungary. Justin was a teammate of Terrence Ross at the University of Washington.

Mar 25, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Terrence Ross (31) drives to the net against Chicago Bulls forward Mike Dunleavy (34) during the first half at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

The other guard is E’Twaun Moore, who I suppose is a defender, though I’ve never been impressed. He’s not much of a scorer.

Mike Dunleavy is the epitome of a smart veteran. He always seems to find open space from which to catch and shoot.

Taj Gibson starts at power forward, though he usually comes off the bench. Either way, he can score in close, and is a troublesome defender and rebounder.

At centre…who knows? Cameron Baristow was out of Friday’s game, and Joakim Noah is gone for the duration.

As far as I know, the Chicago bench is healthy, and is very capable of winning a game by itself. Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott are strong shooters from deep, and will put the ball on the floor when needed. We’ll see a lot of rookie Bobby Portis in the frontcourt. Tony Snell blows hot and cold. Aaron Brooks has given the Raptors fits, and I won’t be surprised if Brazilian rookie Crisitiano Felicio plays half the game. He’s a tall and beefy centre who’s energetic though raw.

The Raptors have lost eight straight to this team, and will never have a better chance than tonight to end this annoying streak. I think they will if they…:

…harass the ball-handlers. Kyle Lowry is the NBA leader in steals, with 2.2 per game. He should be licking his chops at the thought of getting up close and personal to a D-Leaguer like Holiday.
…give no space on the perimeter. The only way the Bulls can keep this one close is with the long ball. James Johnson is listed as starting for the Raptors. He, Ross and Patrick Patterson will have a lot of defensive responsibility. Don’t lose your men, guys. If they dribble-drive, fine – you’ve got rim protectors.
…avoid silly fouls. The other way Chicago can hang around is if the Raptors get into the penalty early, so the Bulls get to the line. There’s no one to hack in their frontcourt. I wouldn’t mind if the Raptors never left their feet on D.

Next: Kyle Lowry carries Raps to W over Cavs – greatest feat in team history?

Chicago’s best players may dress, but the Raptors can and should get ahead early, which will keep Butler et al where they belong. Toronto 108-Chicago 90.

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