Raptors Show Who They Can Be in Win vs. Bulls

The Toronto Raptors are starting their road trip off right with a big 139-109 win against the Chicago Bulls inside the United Center.

The victory completes the season series sweep over the Bulls after going 3-0 against them this season. This win was by far the most dominant, which shows how the Raptors can become a truly elite team.

The Raptors jumped on the Bulls early, building a double-digit lead in the first quarter and limiting the Bulls to just 17 points. They continued to stomp on the Bulls in the second quarter, building a lead as large as 25 points going into halftime. The lead grew to be as much as 38 points in the biggest rout of the season for the Raptors.

Raptors Play Their Best Basketball vs. Bulls

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Sure, the Bulls are one of the worst teams in the NBA as they are currently constructed, but that shouldn't take away from how the Raptors played. They didn't show any mercy to the Bulls, and they played the way they knew they could, building off of the victory they had against the Detroit Pistons.

RJ Barrett was the leading scorer with 23 points, while Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl each had 18 points apiece. Sandro Mamukelashvili both had 17, while Immanuel Quickley joined them in double figures with 10.

The leading scorer for the Bulls was Matas Buzelis with 19. He was one of five Bulls to score in double figures. Former lottery pick Rob Dillingham had 15 off the bench, while Collin Sexton had 14 off the bench as well. Leonard Miller tossed 13 points into the ring, as Jalen Smith posted 10 of his own.

Playing a game like this should give the Raptors a ton of confidence moving forward into the latter parts of the road trip. They need to be playing at a high level at this point in the season, and this is proof that Toronto can still get better as the final handful of games take place.

What's Next For Raptors?

The Raptors will continue to hit the road as they visit Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in their next game. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday at 9 p.m. ET inside Ball Arena. Fans can watch the game on TSN Sports or stream it on NBA League Pass.

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