Apr 8, 2021
Raptors remain shorthanded, look to bounce back against Bulls on TSN
The Toronto Raptors host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, looking to bounce back from Tuesday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Watch Bulls-Raptors live at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on TSN4, TSN Direct and the TSN App.
TSN.ca Staff
The Toronto Raptors host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, looking to bounce back from Tuesday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Watch Bulls-Raptors live at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on TSN4, TSN Direct and the TSN App.
The Raptors enter tonight's game looking to win for the third time in four April games. After opening the month with wins over the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards, the team came out flat against a Lakers team without LeBron James and Anthony Davis, losing 110-101.
The Raptors will once again be shorthanded, as the team won't be getting any of their injured payers back for tonight's game. Fred VanVleet (hip), Kyle Lowry (foot), Paul Watson (COVID protocols), Rodney Hood (hip), Patrick McCaw (hip) and Jalen Harris, were all ruled out on Wednesday afternoon.
The Raptors will also be without guard DeAndre Bembry', who has been suspended one game for leaving the bench during during an on-court altercation between OG Anunoby and Dennis Schroder on Tuesday vs. the Lakers.
This will be the second of three meetings between the two teams this season. The Bulls took the first meeting 118-95 on March 14.
The Raptors (20-31) sit two games behind the Bulls (21-28) for the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. Both teams are 3-7 in their previous 10 games as they continue to battle for the final play-in spot in the East.
Rookie Malachi Flynn has look promising in the absence of Lowry and VanVleet, averaging 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in his previous three games.
Bulls' centre Nikola Vucevic has played well since being acquired from the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline. I six games with his new team, he is averaging 22.7 points, 10.8 rebouns, and 3.8 assists.