Raptors at Bulls
THE STORY: The absence of Andrea Bargnani left the Toronto Raptors short on the offensive end in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. Things are about to get even tougher Saturday night as they face a Chicago Bulls team that has made life absolutely miserable for visiting clubs. Bargnani suffered a strained calf earlier in the week and was on the sidelines for the Raptors' 95-90 loss to the Pacers on Friday. Toronto led by as many as 16 points in the first half but cooled down the stretch to fall four games below the .500 mark for the first time this season. With Bargnani expected to sit out Saturday, the Raptors face their toughest challenge of the season against the league-leading Bulls. Chicago cruised past the host Boston Celtics 88-79 Friday night for its fourth consecutive victory. It now returns to the United Center, where it has held opponents to an average of 67.5 points over its first four home games.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN2, WGN
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (4-8): Toronto was uncharacteristically poor from the free-throw line Friday night, and it cost the club a much-needed victory. The Raptors hit just 20 of 32 foul shots, capped by a pair of airballs from veteran center Jamaal Magloire that prompted groans from the Air Canada Centre crowd. A pair of guards stepped up with Bargnani on the sidelines, as DeMar DeRozan broke out of an extended slump with 23 points and Leandro Barbosa added 20 off the bench.
ABOUT THE BULLS (11-2): It represents a small sample size, but Chicago's home dominance has been one of the biggest stories of the young season. The Bulls have outscored opponents by 80 points in four games at the United Center, while averaging 51.2 rebounds for and just 41.8 against. They've been especially stingy in the fourth quarter, outscoring the opposition 24.8-14.5 over the final 12 minutes. Chicago plays six of its final 10 games in January at home.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Chicago has won four of the last five meetings in the series.
2. Saturday represents the 10th game in 14 days for the Raptors, who get Sunday off before playing yet another back-to-back against Memphis and Phoenix.
3. Bulls PG Derrick Rose has averaged 20.2 points and 8.1 assists in 11 career games against Toronto.