Bulls Pressed Beyond The Limit By The Raptors

Raptors surprisingly got some revenge on the Knicks for a loss earlier in the week. Getting revenge on the Bulls is likely a tougher task even without Derrick Rose. It would be significantly harder if Demar DeRozan wasn't playing. If he does start in this one he would tie a Raptor legend in Alvin Williams for most career consecutive starts at 131 straight games. Jerryd Bayless was also a question mark heading into this game. As it turns out DeRozan will not start and thus the record remains Alvin Williams. Gary Forbes will get his first start as Raptor coming off a great performance vs the Knicks in the 4th Quarter.

Bulls win the tip and go to Deng on a curl in the lane for an easy 2. Forbes taking the place of DeRozan drains his first shot to even this game up at 2. Bargnani had a good game last night and gets things going off to a right start with a made 3 pointer. But the Bulls would score two quick baskets to retake the lead. Bayless was also out and Forbes was in the starting line-up so that might make a long night for Jose Calderon. Terrible cross court pass is picked and Watson takes it for the easy lay-up giving the Bulls a 10-7 lead. After a couple free throws from Calderon it would be Forbes hitting a runner on the next possession to give the Raptors an 11-10 lead. The Raptors were hanging in for now with 6:48 to play in the first leading 13-12. Raptors were undermanned but hanging in with a 21-16 lead with just under 4 to play. James Johnson had 8 points to lead the charge against his former team and the Raptors led 23-18. Gary Forbes on a curl cut to the hoop takes a pass from Bargnani and finishes with 2 to play the Raptors were up 7. Bargnani was getting to the line and adding to the lead he missed a few free throws or the lead could be even bigger but as it stood it was 30-18 Raptors. Bulls almost got 5 back after a sloppy turnover late in Quarter, but the were still down 30-20 which for them had to be shocking.

Raptors shot 63.2%, were out rebounding the Bulls and holding them to under 40% shooting could it be much better after one? Bulls started the quarter on a 6-0 run and were right back in it down just 30-26 and Dwane Casey needed a time out. The beat goes on as Deng misses gets his own miss and scores. Calderon finally breaks the 8-0 run with a jumper. Linas Kleiza had been a train wreck so far in this game he fumbles away the ball and leads to a score and foul and the Bulls lead 33-32. Gary Forbes was taking advantage of his chance though with a nice jumper to make it a one point game again still in favour of the Bulls. Aaron Gray had a 2 foot shoot if that stick in between the rim and the backboard that summed up the Raptors 2nd quarter nicely. Korver a corner three would give the Bulls a 42-38 lead. The Raptors would score back to back buckets to even things up at 42. Some how the Raptors had survived the Bulls run and some of their own silly mistakes and lead this thing 49-46. James Johnson gets up for playing his old team and he made a couple free throws to keep the lead at 3 then took one on the numbers to draw a charge on Noah. After that soon after Noah would get called for another foul and get frustrated and had something to say which got him teched and he tossed the ball in the direction of the ref and got a second tech and he was gone. After all the free throws the Raptor found themselves with a 55-50 lead late in the half. That would end up being the halftime score.

Raptors open up the 2nd half with misses from Forbes and Bargnani both inside of 10 feet. On the other end Bargnani picks up a foul and Watson makes a pair at the line. Amir Johnson got a couple offensive rebounds and it lead to a bucket for him eventually. James Johnson would bury a three and get a block on the other end as the Raptors were still fighting and leading 60-54. But the Bulls would go on a 6-0 run thanks to some sloppy play by the Raptors and this game was even up at 60 and Raptors needed a time out. Give the Raptors some credit they were fighting to hang around and getting little help from Bargnani shooting 3-13 from the field. Still the Raptors had this thing tied at 66. Raptors were hanging tough with 1:30 to play and Ed Davis after on basket comes up with another slam to put the Raptors in front. Raptor were playing excellent defense and at times suspect offense but they have a lead again heading to the 4th Quarter on the Chicago Bulls 73-71.

Bad turnover leads to an early score for the Bulls on the break to tie this up at 73. Bulls looked for a Korver three he missed. He has only made three for Chicago who were 1-15 from behind the arc at this point. Johnson to Johnson, James to Amir give the Raptors the lead back. Raptors were staying on top and time was ticking away and the Raptors were actually building a lead, with 7:53 to go they lead 81-75 on a 8-2 run. You had feeling this might be the Raptors night when Kleiza chuck up a three and it fell to make it 84-77. Bulls could buy a three they were 1-18 and he makes that. Bargnani was not much better at 3-14 and back in the game. Bulls got the lead back down to the 3 on a uncontested long two from Watson making it 84-81. Watson would draw a foul after a turnover and head to the line with 4:04 to play. Finally the Bulls made a three with 3:26 to play to tie the game at 86. Bargnani would finally make a shot as well to make it 88-86 Raptors. Jose Calderon with a bucket to give him 18 and he had 8 dimes to go with that but most importantly the Raptors lead was 90-86 with 2:32 to play. Taj Gibson scored on the putback to make it a two point game. Bargnani bricks another three but the Raptors get the board and draw a non shooting foul. Raptors turnover the ball and Bulls would have a chance to tie or take the lead with 1:33 to play. Bulls would tie it and Jose Calderon wanted a foul. He would get no foul and this game was tied at 90 a piece. Amir Johnson would get a foul call and get to the line and make a pair. Raptors lead 92-90 with 1:04 to play and no audio which meant no stupid comments from Leo. The audio came back just in time to hear Matt Devlin call a C.J Watson three ball to give the Bulls a 93-92 lead. Jose Calderon with a slick Alley Oop to Amir Johnson out of the time out to give the Raps a 94-93 lead. Amir Johnson got called for a foul on Watson with 32.2 to play. Watson missed the first and made the second the game was tied at 94. Raptors had a scrambling possession and the ball goes out of bounds and it is going to be reviewed with 3.6 seconds left. Appeared to go off Gibson's knee so this should be Raptors ball. Raptor inbound on the baseline and Bargnani gets a solid look at a three which he didn't need but shoots it anyway misses it. So were off to overtime in which the Bulls have yet to take part in this season.

Bargs does get the first points of OT at the line. Boozer counters with 2 points. Amir Johnson having a solid performance down the stretch scores in a crowd in the paint. James Johnson gets a steal but blows a layup in transition the Raptors to get the rebound and Casey wants a time out with score tied at 98 with 1:59 to play in OT number 1. Jose Calderon scores out of the time out and gets the Raps to triple figures. Brewer draws a foul but it was non shooting. Boozer is fouled and that will be a shooting foul. He makes both and we are all tie at a C-Note. Bulls get a turnover but miss on Deng 3. Raptors with another turnover and Bulls call a time out with 41.6 seconds left. Boozer missed a fading jumper out of the time out. James Johnson gets a foul call and heads to the line with 15.2 left and he misses the first and makes the second. James Johnson made up for missing his free throw with a massive clean block on Deng. Forbes is fouled with 6.4 to play and he misses his first and the second as well. Time out with 6 seconds left. Watson missed a crazy fading jumper but Deng catches it and throws it in for the Bulls win. It would be reviewed but it will count and Bulls win it 102-101.

A very tough loss for the Raptors and they only have themselves to blame missing 3 of 4 free throws down the stretch. It takes away from what really was unbelievable performances by both James Johnson and Gary Forbes. So the Raptors lose a tough one and have a couple days to recover before returning home to face the Magic.