Tonight is an important game for the Toronto Raptors. the Raptors must win tonight to avoid elimination from the In-Season Tournament.
Both teams are 0-2 in their groups. If the Raptors win tonight, not only do they survive the In-Season Tournament, but Toronto can avenge their previous two awful losses to Chicago.
This is not the first time that the Raptors and the Bulls played each other this season. Both teams faced each other on Oct. 27 in Chicago.
What happened the last time the Raptors faced the Bulls?
The Raptors started the game strong. Toronto had a 16-4 lead until the sixth-minute mark when Chicago started their comeback. The Bulls tied the game with 3:26 left in the first quarter. That got them the lead with under two minutes left. Chicago finished the quarter with a 24-18 lead. Chicago led the first half 35-32.
Toronto came back and took the lead in the third quarter. The Raptors led for most of the fourth quarter until the Bulls made a comeback in the last couple of minutes of the game. The game went to overtime because Demar DeRozan missed a potential game-winning free throw shot. They eventually won the game in overtime with a 104–103.
Despite not being the first time both teams played each other this season, this is the first time both teams played each other in Toronto since the Play-In tournament. That was the game in which the Raptors were eliminated from the postseason.
What happened in the Play-In game?
One of the reasons Toronto lost that game was due to poor free throws. DeMar DeRozan’s daughter, Diar, was the reason for their bad free throw shots. She was screeching every time the Raptors were at the free-throw line. Toronto had a comfortable lead in the first half. But the free throw shooting allowed Chicago to come back thus winning the game.
The Toronto Raptors can get their revenge on the Chicago Bulls tonight with a win. Not only will this avenge the Raptors’ past couple of rough losses against the Bulls; but they will also eliminate Chicago from the In-Season Tournament.
