Nikola Vucevic returned from illness to score 24 points and lead the Chicago Bulls to a 122-121 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.
Coby White contributed 19 points, while Talen Horton-Tucker added 15 for Chicago, which has now won four of its last six games. Seven Bulls players scored in double figures.
Chicago held a 16-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Toronto mounted a comeback, cutting the deficit to one with just under three minutes remaining.
A key 3-pointer from Lonzo Ball and a layup by White down the stretch helped the Bulls hold on. Ball finished with eight points, seven assists, and six rebounds.
Josh Giddey had 11 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists but exited midway through the third quarter with a right ankle injury. Giddey had to be helped off the court and did not return.
RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 32 points, while rookie Gradey Dick added a career-high 27. Toronto has now dropped five consecutive games and fell to 0-14 this season when trailing at halftime.
The Raptors, already missing Scottie Barnes due to a sprained ankle, lost Jakob Poeltl in the third quarter to a strained left groin. Chris Boucher contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto.
Chicago led 53-50 at halftime and extended the advantage to 102-86 early in the fourth quarter. Barrett’s hook shot with 2:28 remaining capped Toronto’s 25-10 run, trimming the lead to 112-111.
Jamal Shead banked in a 3-pointer at the final buzzer, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.
The Bulls improved to 12-15 on the season, while the Raptors dropped to 7-20.
