Brandon Ingram scored 22 of his 33 points in the first half Thursday night and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 123-107.
Immanuel Quickley added 24 points for the Raptors, who have won two of three to open a five-game homestand. Sandro Mamukelashvili posted 17 points, Collin Murray-Boyles had 17 points and three blocks, Scottie Barnes notched 13 points and Ja’Kobe Walter scored 12.
The Bulls, who completed seven trades before the deadline, featured two new players in their starting lineup and three overall. Anfernee Simons, acquired from the Boston Celtics for Nikola Vucevic, led the way with 22 points and ex-Detroit Piston Jaden Ivey added 13 as his starting backcourt partner. Guerschon Yabusele had 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
Matas Buzelis contributed 18 points for the Bulls, who completed a 1-3 road trip with their sixth loss in seven games. Jalen Smith had 13 points and nine rebounds and Isaac Okoro scored 10.
Toronto led by 12 points going into the fourth quarter. The lead reached 15 on Mamukelashvili’s driving hook with 7:57 to play. Simons cut the lead to 10 on a 3-pointer with 4:53 left, but Quickley’s 3-pointer restored the 15-point margin with 2:34 remaining.
Toronto led 33-25 after the first quarter.
While the Bulls were having problems adjusting to a revamped lineup, the Raptors pulled out to a 15-point lead when Quickley hit a 10-footer with 8:12 to play in the second quarter. The Bulls responded with a 7-0 burst, capped by Simons’ layup with 5:46 to go. The Bulls pulled to within five on Ivey’s steal that set up a Buzelis layup with 1:10 remaining in the first half, but Toronto led 65-58 at halftime.
Toronto shot 58.7% (27-for-46) from the field in the first half. Chicago shot 50% (23-for-46).
Toronto took a 12-point lead early in the third quarter, but the Bulls rallied to forge a 76-76 tie when Buzelis drained a 3-pointer at the 7:28 mark.
Chicago’s lack of familiarity showed again on defense, though, and the Raptors came back with 10 straight points capped by Quickley’s six-foot floater with 5:13 to go. The Raptors led 100-88 after the third quarter.
