The Toronto Raptors rallied by 19 points in the third quarter and pulled off a win. Instead, his season is over.
The Chicago Bulls posted a 109-105 comeback in the tournament entry.
The Raptors trailed by three with 17.9 points remaining and Pascal Siakam was fouled on a 3-pointer.
But he missed two of three free throws. And after Toronto fouled Nikola Vucevic, Vucevic made two free throws to put Chicago up four. Toronto missed their last two shots and their season was over.
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DeMar DeRozan (11) of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with teammates Ayo Dosunmu (12) and Coby White (0) against the Toronto Raptors during the 2023 gatehouse tournament at Scotiabank Arena on April 12, 2023 in Toronto. (Andres Lahodynskyj/Getty Images)
Fred VanVleet’s halftime bell put the Raptors up 11 and gave Toronto all the momentum. He carried that into the second half with an 8-0 run to lead by as many as 19, the Raptors’ most of the night. Chicago managed to cut the deficit to just eight thanks to Zach LaVine’s 17 third-quarter points, and the Raptors led 81-72 entering the fourth.
After starting the game making just two of their first 17 3-pointers, the Bulls made five of their next seven during their comeback. The Bulls made 10 of 13 field goal attempts in the fourth quarter, taking a 3-point lead with 5:07 to go.
Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls during a game against the Toronto Raptors in the 2023 play-in tournament on April 12, 2023 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. (Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)
VanVleet tied the game at 100 with a 3-pointer with 3:10 to go to stop the Bulls’ run, but only temporarily.
The team traded buckets in the final minutes of the game, with Chicago pulling away thanks to their hot shot and the Raptors’ poor free throw shooting.
Toronto was just 18 of 36 from the free throw line.
LaVine scored 30 of his 39 points in the second half.
Chicago shot 50% (21-of-42) from the floor in the second half, while DeRozan scored 23 points against his former team.
Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls drives against the Toronto Raptors during the 2023 play-in tournament on April 12, 2023 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. (Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Chicago has a date with the Miami Heat in South Beach on Friday. The winner of that game will head to Milwaukee to face the Bucks as the eighth seed. The loser goes home.