The Associated Press
Andrew Seligman
CHICAGO–The Toronto Raptors rolled into the all-star break knowing the toughest part is yet to come.
But they’ll take where they are at the moment–staring down at the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 10 assists, and Serge Ibaka also scored 20 points, as the Raptors cruised into the break with their seventh-straight victory by dumping the Chicago Bulls 122-98 last night.
“We just have to keep it going,” said coach Dwane Casey. “We haven’t done anything. . . .
“It’s even harder from here on out, and that’s why [we’re] not jumping up and down,” he added.
“We have a goal. We haven’t finished it yet.”
Lowry made four three-pointers while he and Ibaka each had seven rebounds.
Jonas Valanciunas added 14 points and nine rebounds to help the Raptors complete a four-game sweep against Chicago even though they only got seven points from four-time all-star DeMar DeRozan.
But Toronto dished out a season-high 38 assists and shot just over 52 percent against a weak defence, sending the Bulls to their ninth loss in 11 games.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” DeRozan said. “But at the same time, we still understand how much we need to clean up on the defensive end and the offensive end.
“As long as we keep that mindset anytime we step out there, whether it’s a practice or a game,” he stressed.
“We understand we’re trying to get better. It kind of carries us.”
Bobby Portis scored 18 points for Chicago while Lauri Markkanen had 14.
The Bulls simply were overmatched by the Eastern Conference leaders, even though they had point guard Kris Dunn back in the lineup.
He finished with eight points and three assists in 20 minutes after missing 11 games because of a concussion.
“Poor effort,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Win or lose you, got to walk in the locker-room after the game and look each other in the eye and say you were the harder playing team.
“We were not tonight.”
The Raptors took a 61-49 lead to the locker-room after outscoring the Bulls by 18 in the second quarter.
DeRozan ended a quiet first half with a neat 12-footer, faking David Nwaba and Justin Holiday while leaning in for the basket as time expired.
The Raptors continued to pull away in the third.
Lowry converted a four-point play, then answered a three-point play by Markkanen by nailing another “three” to make it 75-57 three minutes into the quarter.
The Raptors swept Chicago for the first time since the 2001-02 season, and won their fifth-straight against the Bulls.
They next host the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 23 after the all-star break.
