Bulls
Raptors turn 27 Bulls turnovers into 35 points and bury Chicago early
The Toronto Raptors beat the Chicago Bulls 135-92 on Oct. 21 at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto scored 43 points in the first quarter, never trailed and scored 35 points off 27 Chicago turnovers. The Raptors move to 2-0 and fourth in the East, and the Bulls fall to 1-1 and eighth.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 22 min ago01The story of the nightThe first quarter decided itThe game turned in the first 12 minutes.
The game turned in the first 12 minutes. Toronto scored 43 points in the opening quarter and led 43-23. Chicago never led. The box score shows zero lead changes, and the Bulls' biggest lead was 0. The second quarter was closer, 26-21 Toronto, but the Raptors still went to halftime up 69-44. The third quarter ended any doubt. Toronto scored 34 points and took a 103-71 lead into the fourth. The Raptors' lead peaked at 48. Chicago's best quarter was 27 points, in the third, and Toronto outscored them in that one too. The Bulls had no stretch that cut into the deficit.
02Four Raptors at 20 or moreToronto had four scorers at 20 points or more, and none of them played 29 minutes.
Toronto had four scorers at 20 points or more, and none of them played 29 minutes. Immanuel Quickley had 23 points, 7 assists and no turnovers in 28.2 minutes. He hit 4 of 9 threes and finished plus-38, the best mark on the floor. Scottie Barnes added 23 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists on 8-of-19 shooting. Kawhi Leonard also scored 23, though he shot 5 of 17. He made up for it at the line, 11 of 11, and added 4 steals with no turnovers. RJ Barrett scored 20 on 8-of-14 shooting and was plus-34. Off the bench, Ja'Kobe Walter had 10 points, 4 assists and 3 steals.
03A rough night for Chicago's scorersMatas Buzelis led Chicago with 17 points, but 13 came at the free-throw line.
Matas Buzelis led Chicago with 17 points, but 13 came at the free-throw line. He shot 2 of 8 from the field and 0 of 4 from three. Caleb Wilson scored 16 on 7-of-21 shooting and committed 9 turnovers. He finished minus-45. Josh Giddey had 7 rebounds and 6 assists, but he scored 2 points on 1-of-10 shooting with 5 turnovers and was minus-39. Jalen Smith was efficient, with 15 points and 8 rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting and no turnovers. Norman Powell added 15. Tre Jones gave the Bulls 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 13.4 minutes off the bench and was the only Chicago player besides Zach Collins with a positive plus-minus.
04Where it was won: turnovers and transitionChicago turned the ball over 27 times.
Chicago turned the ball over 27 times. Toronto turned it over 10 times. The Raptors had 15 steals to the Bulls' 6 and scored 35 points off turnovers. Chicago scored 8. Those giveaways fed the break: Toronto won fast-break points 34-13. The Raptors also controlled the paint, 58-40, and the bench, 43-27. Their ball movement showed in the assists, 31 to 16. Chicago's shooting made it worse. The Bulls hit 27 of 85 shots, 31.8 percent, and went 4 of 36 from three. They won the rebounding battle, 71-63, and got to the line 47 times, making 34. Neither was enough to offset the turnovers.
05What it meansToronto is 2-0 and sits fourth in the East.
Toronto is 2-0 and sits fourth in the East. The Raptors won with balance. Seven players scored at least 6 points, and their starters got rest with the game decided early. Taking care of the ball, 10 turnovers against 31 assists, is a good sign this early in the season. Chicago falls to 1-1 and eighth in the East. The Bulls' problems were clear: 27 turnovers, 4-of-36 shooting from three and a 43-point first quarter allowed. Wilson's 9 turnovers and Giddey's 1-of-10 night stand out. Chicago's rebounding and free-throw volume give it something to build on, but only if the ball security improves.
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