By Marcus Robinson, Chicago Crusader Newspaper
The Chicago Bulls kept their postseason hopes alive Tuesday night with a commanding 137-118 victory over the Toronto Raptors at the United Center, securing a berth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament for the third straight year.
Led by Coby White’s 28 points and a career-best night from Talen Horton-Tucker, who poured in 27 off the bench, the Bulls showed poise and precision on both ends of the court. Nikola Vučević added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in a game that saw Chicago dominate the paint and keep Toronto at bay from the second quarter onward.
After trailing early, the Bulls surged ahead with a decisive 30-13 run to end the first quarter, flipping a 10-point deficit into a seven-point lead. By halftime, Chicago led 70-57 and never looked back, at one point stretching the margin to 28.
Chicago’s efficient offense overwhelmed a short-handed Raptors squad, which was missing key players RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji. Toronto’s Ja’Kobe Walter and Immanuel Quickley each scored 17 points, but the Raptors could not match Chicago’s firepower or energy.
The Bulls finished the night with four players scoring 20 or more points. Kevin Huerter returned from a thumb injury and added 16 points, including three dunks—his highest total in a single game. White, who recently earned Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for March, connected on three 3-pointers, pushing his season total to 204, just five shy of breaking his personal record.
Chicago’s edge in the paint was clear—outscoring the Raptors 70-44 and outrebounding them 49-35. The Bulls also converted 23 of their 27 free throw attempts, while the Raptors managed only 11 trips to the line.
With this win, the Bulls improved to 34-42, temporarily overtaking the Miami Heat for the ninth seed in the East. Though still trailing the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic by 2.5 games, Chicago holds tiebreakers over both teams with six games remaining in the season. If the standings hold, the Bulls could again face the Heat in the opening Play-In game—a matchup they’ve lost the past two years.
Yet unlike past seasons, Miami is without Jimmy Butler, and the Bulls are playing with a newfound urgency and chemistry. Much of that is thanks to White, Vučević, and the growing contributions of younger players like Matas Buzelis, who added a key basket Tuesday night and showed flashes of his athletic potential.
The game also offered fans high-flying moments, including a dunk by Jalen Smith and strong defensive stands by Vučević, who pressured Raptors’ forwards and disrupted passing lanes. The Raptors’ Jonathan Mugbo, wearing a protective mask, had a brief standout moment in the paint but was quickly neutralized by the Bulls’ interior defense.
The Bulls’ win comes at a critical time. On Friday, April 4, they’ll host the struggling Portland Trail Blazers. In their last meeting on January 31, the Bulls cruised to a 122-102 win behind a 26-point effort from Huerter. They’ll then face the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, April 6. Chicago edged Charlotte 109-107 in their last matchup on March 2 in a game that featured a clutch finish from White.
With playoff positioning still fluid, every win counts. And with the Play-In just around the corner, it looks like Chicago is focused not just on clinching a spot—but advancing past it.
Chicago Crusader staff contributed to this story. (Photos By Marcus Robinson)
Toronto defenders look on during the second half of the Bulls’ dominant 137-118 win over the Raptors.
Raptors guard finished with a highlight-worthy dunk despite the lopsided outcome.
Rhoden’s aggression offered brief sparks for the Raptors offense.
