The Chicago Bulls will look to get revenge tonight against the Toronto Raptors after losing in a close game against the Raptors, 113-104. After playing in Toronto yesterday, Chicago will travel back home to play in front of their home fans. The good news for the Bulls is they have won six out of the last eight matchups against the Raptors.
Matchup to Watch
Nikola Vucevic vs Christian Koloko
The battle of the big men is the unexpected matchup to know about heading into the second straight matchup in two nights. Christian Koloko won the first battle last night by being dominant in the paint with six blocks and got easy buckets on offensive rebounds against Vucevic. He finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds. Koloko, the rookie out of Arizona University and former teammate of Bulls rookie, Dalen Terry, has started five out of ten games. Last night marked the first game in Koloko’s career; he played more than 30 minutes (31).
At the United Center, Nikola Vucevic has averaged 17.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 5 games. Last night, Vucevic dropped 18 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Vucevic must be aggressive on the boards and guarding Koloko. Koloko might be a rookie, but he has become one of the best rookie shot blockers in the NBA.
Keys to the Game
Limit Raptors Second Chance Opportunities
On paper, the Bulls did not do well, grabbing 46 rebounds. When Nikola Vucevic was either not aggressive on the boards and or when he got to rest on the bench, the Bulls could not get significant rebounds. Vucevic got 12, and Caruso with 11 rebounds. But the stat that is a concern heading into Monday’s matchup against the Raptors is second-chance points. Toronto finished the game with 27-second points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter.
There were particular possessions that you must limit your opportunities to one shot per possession. All five guys on the court for the Bulls must help out on the boards. Vucevic, at times, was the only Bulls player on the court getting any boards late in the game. With Andre Drummond unlikely to play tonight, the two Bulls players to be more active on the boards are Patrick Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. Jones has been the center in the Bulls’ small ball lineup when Vucevic goes to the bench, with Drummond out due to a shoulder injury.
Coaching Adjustments
Coaches must make the correct coaching adjustments if they want any chances of getting to the postseason and winning a championship. Last night, Billy Donavon did not make any coaching adjustments when the Raptors decided to double-team Bulls star DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan ended the game with five turnovers Sunday night.
With no Zach Lavine, Toronto forced someone else besides DeRozan to score. At times, players needed to know to respond when double teams occurred. DeRozan tried to dribble out of the double-team or dribble the ball backwards toward the corner. No adjustments got made at halftime, but Alex Caruso got in the middle of the court at the free-throw line a few times and broke the double-team. It did not help Caruso shoot 1-for-11, and Vucevic got four turnovers. Billy Donavon must change up his plan to respond to the Raptors tonight.
More minutes for Dalen Terry
The 22nd pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Dalen Terry, should receive more minutes tonight against the Raptors. With all of the injuries Chicago has been dealing with and is playing the second half of back-to-back games. This game is an excellent opportunity for Terry to play a significant amount of minutes.
Last night, Terry scored four points and got one steal and one block. Terry played 12 minutes and helped the Bulls take a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 30-21. He finished the game with a plus/minus of +1. He was one of three Bulls players to finish the game with a positive plus/minus. The plus/minus stat means how much their team outscored their opponent with that specific player on the court.
Injury Report
Bulls
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Lonzo Ball | Knee | Out |
| Coby White | Quad | Out |
| Andre Drummond | Shoulder | Doubtful |
| Zach Lavine | Knee Management | Questionable |
| Derrick Jones Jr | Thumb | Probable |
Raptors
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Pascal Siakam | Groin | Out |
| Khem Birch | Knee | Out |
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