The Associated Press
Andrew Seligman
CHICAGO–All DeMar DeRozan wanted to talk about was the lift Toronto’s bench provided.
As for his recent scoring tear?
“I don’t think nothing of it,” he remarked.
DeRozan had 35 points, and Delon Wright set career highs with 25 points and 13 rebounds, as the Raptors beat the Chicago Bulls 124-115 last night.
DeRozan came up big again after scoring a franchise-record 52 points in a win over Milwaukee on New Year’s Day.
He was particularly good in the third quarter this time, scoring 18 points after being held to nine in the first half.
DeRozan also shot 5-of-8 on three-pointers and converted all 10 free throws.
Wright had his first career double-double and hit four “threes” to lead a big effort by the bench.
He scored 12 points in the second quarter and eight more in the fourth to help Toronto pull away for its ninth win in 11 games.
Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry scored 16 apiece for Toronto.
Fred VanVleet, from nearby Rockford, added 13 points as the Raptors’ reserves outscored Chicago’s 54-39.
“They’ve been great for us all year,” DeRozan said. “We come out slacking. The bench always picks us up, and vice-versa.
“Tonight, the bench did what they’ve been doing all year, got the energy going,” he added.
“We fed off that and got back in the game.”
DeRozan will get no argument from coach Dwane Casey.
“The bench really saved us tonight,” he stressed. “They gave us energy.
“We just couldn’t get our mojo going with the first unit, but Delon came in and had a career high.
“I really liked the way he was going after rebounds,” Casey added. “His overall game sustained us.”
Justin Holiday led Chicago with 26 points while Lauri Markkanen added 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Nikola Mirotic scored 20 but the Bulls dropped their third-straight game.
The Bulls looked sharp early on, with a 10-point lead after the first quarter.
But they couldn’t sustain their edge on defence and were impatient on offence–particularly the second unit.
“We were coming out and jacking up contested shots with zero or one pass,” noted Bulls’ coach Fred Hoiberg. “And you can’t have that.
“So again, that second unit’s been pretty darn good for us,” he noted.
“Tonight, we struggled with it.”
Chicago was leading 92-90 early in the fourth when Toronto went on a 16-2 run.
Lowry hit a “three” to make it 106-94 with 6:39 to go, and the Raptors remained in control the rest of the way.
Toronto had dropped six-straight at Chicago.
The Raptors next visit the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow night.
Elsewhere in the NBA, Brooklyn edged Minnesota 98-87, Houston beat Orlando 116-98, Philadelphia downed San Antonio 112-106, Washington dumped New York 121-103, Miami upended Detroit 111-104, and Boston bounced Cleveland 102-88.
Milwaukee trounced Indiana 122-101, Golden State shaded Dallas 125-122, Denver topped Phoenix 134-11, New Orleans beat Utah 108-98, and Oklahoma City drubbed the L.A. Lakers 133-96.
