Coby White scored 24 points and Josh Giddey contributed 19 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds to lift the host Chicago Bulls to a 125-115 overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Chicago handed Toronto its third straight loss after outscoring the Raptors 44-25 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Lonzo Ball hit a 3-pointer with 3:27 left in overtime to give the Bulls their first lead since the first quarter. Scottie Barnes responded with a dunk off White’s missed layup but the Bulls responded, closing the game on a 12-3 run. Ball iced the result with a trey from the left corner that put Chicago ahead by eight with two minutes to go.
Back in the lineup after missing Wednesday’s loss at Indiana, Barnes had 24 points and eight rebounds for the Raptors. Immanuel Quickley added 23 points.
Eight Bulls scored in double figures. Zach Collins posted a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds and Kevin Huerter also had 15 points. Ball followed with 14 points, Ayo Dosunmu had 11 and Matas Buzelis and Tre Jones chipped in 10 apiece.
After trailing by 16 early in the fourth quarter, Chicago responded with a 19-4 run before capitalizing on Toronto miscues down the stretch.
Gradey Dick split a pair of free throws with six seconds left to put Toronto ahead 110-106. Chicago tied the game moments later as White converted a four-point play after being fouled by Quickley. Barnes missed a 16-footer from the baseline at the buzzer, sending the game to OT.
The Bulls move 2 1/2 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference and the final spot in the East play-in tournament after the Nets lost to the Portland Trail Blazers earlier Friday.
Chicago overcame a 13-for-49 (26.5 percent) performance from behind the 3-point line.
RJ Barrett (18 points), Dick (13), Orlando Robinson (12) and Jakob Poeltl (10) rounded out a balanced attack for Toronto. Dick led the team with nine rebounds.
Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic (right calf tightness) missed his third straight game.
Toronto’s Ochai Agbaji suffered a sprained left ankle in the first half and didn’t return.
The Bulls secured the season series after winning in Toronto on Dec. 16 and Jan. 31.
–Field Level Media
