LaVine’s 30 points, Vucevic’s 4th consecutive double-double propels Bulls past Raptors | CBC Sports

Zach LaVine scored a season-high 30 points as the Chicago Bulls coasted to a 111-97 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

But the Bulls held a 15-point lead and were able to cruise the rest of the way. They improved to 2-2 in four series of back-to-back games.

Bulls centre Nikola Vucevic recorded his fourth consecutive double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Guard Fred VanVleet led the Raptors with 27 points.

For the second time in as many nights, the Raptors double-teamed Bulls’ leading scorer DeMar DeRozan, who took only three shots in the first half and scored his first points on a three-point play with 2:43 left in the second quarter. DeRozan finished with nine points, equalling his season low.

But the Bulls relied effectively on their depth to shake off a slow start in which they committed five turnovers in the first five minutes.

Reserves Goran Dragic and Javonte Green scored 15 of the Bulls’ 30 first-quarter points that enabled them to overcome a nine-point deficit. That compensated for the brief loss of LaVine, who committed two fouls slightly more than four minutes into the game.

Raptors swingman Scottie Barnes missed his first six shots but responded with a thundering dunk, and Gary Trent Jr. followed with a three-pointer that cut the Raptors’ deficit to 56-53 with less than a minute left in the second quarter.