Chicago Bulls guard Jerian Grant controls the ball as Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan tries to defend during the second quarter at Air Canada Centre.Nick Turchiaro
Behind a double-double from Jonas Valanciunas, and a late bucket from DeMar DeRozan, the Toronto Raptors survived a late-game comeback attempt from the rebuilding Chicago Bulls and escaped with a 119-114 victory on Tuesday night.
DeRozan had 24 points, including the clutch jumper to fend off the late-charging Bulls, while the Raptors' seven-foot centre had 21 points and 10 rebounds as Toronto narrowly avoided an embarrassing collapse in a game it once led by 23 points.
Kyle Lowry had 17, while dishing out six assists, and the Raps shot 54 per cent from the field, and 52 per cent from three-point range – a welcome improvement for a team that shot just 46 per cent on Sunday and made just five of 24 of its attempts from beyond the arc.
There was a moment of silence inside Air Canada Centre before the game in honour of legendary Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay, who died Tuesday at age 40 when his private plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico.
The death of the beloved baseball player who had pitched in Toronto from 1998 to 2009 – including a Cy Young Award-winning 2003 season – brought a sombre tone to the pregame interviews.
"It's sad. He was huge here in Toronto," Raptors coach Dwane Casey coach. "From what I understand – I don't know him – but he was a great human being and did a lot for the city of Toronto. It's sad when you lose someone like that at 40 years old. Our condolences from our organization to his family. I know how much he meant to the city."
The Raptors were coming off a 107-96 pounding by the Washington Wizards on Sunday, which had been their first game back at home after a tough two-week six-game West Coast trip. They had opened flat on Sunday, falling into a fast 32-17 first-quarter hole, flaring up old concerns about the Raps' lack of urgency to start games.
But on Tuesday, Toronto's start looked more energetic – albeit against a 2-6 Bulls team undergoing a total rebuild. There were positive signs right from the start.
Lowy hit several early shots. Valanciunas had an 11-point, five-rebound first quarter, including a hit a three-pointer he calmly hit from downtown then trotted back on defence with virtually no emotion, as he makes those every day. C.J. Miles, who had recently missed time with the flu, was back to his sharp three-point shooting self, swishing both of his first two attempts. The Raps led the Bulls 29-26 after one.
The Raptors, whom Casey had criticized this week for failing to efficiently get back in transition defence, held the Bulls to just 19 points in the second quarter, largely thanks to the bench unit.
The Raptors were shooting a crisp 59 per cent from the field, 54 per cent from beyond the arc – a sharp contrast to the 41 per cent and 18 per cent they shot in Sunday's first half. They also held a comfy 20-point lead.
Big man Robin Lopez was posing challenges in the post for the Raptors – particularly in the third quarter when he rolled for 10 points. The Bulls narrowed Toronto's hefty lead to within five late into the fourth quarter and made things tense in the final moment, but Toronto prevailed.
Lopez had 20 points on Tuesday, while Bobby Portis had 21 in his first game back after serving an eight-game suspension for his role in a fight with teammate Nikola Mirotic.
The Raptors improved to 6-4 with the victory.
The final game of Toronto's brief three-game home stand is Thursday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Then the team ventures on the road again, to Boston, Houston and New Orleans.