Zach LaVine scores 39, Bulls beat Raptors 109-105 in Play-In Game

TORONTO (AP)— Zach LaVine scored 39 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 against hisformer team and the Chicago Bulls overcame a 19-point deficit tobeat the Toronto Raptors 109-105 in a play-in tournament gameWednesday night.

NikolaVucevic had 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed66-47 in the third quarter before LaVine carried them back. Hescored 17 points in the third as Chicago cut the gap to nine, thenadded 13 more in the fourth to help the Bulls advance.

Bulls coachBilly Donovan said LaVine was “phenomenal” against the Raptors.

“Hisperformance was extraordinary,” Donovan said. “It gave us life andit gave us hope.”

The Bullswill visit the Miami Heat on Friday night for the chance to earnthe eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, and afirst-round playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and theMilwaukee Bucks.

Chicago went3-0 against the Heat this season. The Bulls won in Miami twice,including on opening night.

The Bulls were down 19 POINTS and came backto eliminate the Raptors 😳Zach LaVine: 39 PTS, 7 REB, 3 ASTDeMar DeRozan: 23 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST pic.twitter.com/ys7wUVThcs

“They’regoing to make adjustments. We are, too,” LaVine said. “It’s goingto be whoever wants it more. I think it comes down to that.”

The Bullsshot 3 for 19 from 3-point range through the first three quartersbut LaVine connected twice as Chicago made four of seven fromdistance in the fourth.

Fred VanVleethad 26 points and 12 rebounds and Pascal Siakam scored 32 points,but Toronto’s season ended in disappointment as the Raptors — withDeRozan’s nine-year-old daughter, Diar,screaming when they shot—went a dismal 18 for 36 at the free throw line. Toronto missed sixattempts from the line in the fourth quarter.

“I thought weplayed well enough to win tonight but it just didn’t go our way,”Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

ScottieBarnes had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, and O.G.Anunoby scored 13 points. Toronto didn’t win three straight untilJanuary and never won more than four in a row in a season thatstruggled to generate any momentum.

“We’re goingto have to be better,” Siakam said. “Not consistent enough andthat’s got to change.”

Chicago’sAlex Caruso connected from the corner to tie the score at 91-allwith 7:08 left in the fourth quarter and Patrick Beverley’s 3 with5:07 remaining gave the Bulls a 96-93 lead. It was Beverley’s firstbasket of the game.

VanVleet’s 3with 3:11 to go knotted it again at 100-all, but LaVine and DeRozanreplied with baskets for the Bulls.

Barnes andSiakam each made one of two at the line inside the final twominutes, and VanVleet missed a 3 that would have tied the game.

Siakam’sdriving dunk with 19 seconds left cut it to 105-104. After atimeout, LaVine pushed the lead to three with a pair of freethrows. Caruso fouled Siakam on a 3 but the Raptors star missed hissecond and third attempts.

The Raptorsled 28-23 after one and 58-47 at the break after VanVleet connectedon a halfcourt heave at the halftime buzzer.

VanVleet’s 3with 9:09 left in the third gave Toronto a 19-point edge, butLaVine and the Bulls trailed 81-72 heading to the fourth.

SHOWING HIS COLORS

Former NBAAll-Star Charles Oakley, who played for both the Bulls and Raptors,sat in a courtside seat. Oakley wore a black hoodie with TorontoRaptors printed in gold letters on the back.

TIP-INS

Bulls: LaVineshot 13 for 15 at the free throw line. The Bulls went 18 for 22. …Patrick Williams scored 10 points.

Raptors:VanVleet had eight assists. … Siakam had nine rebounds.