TORONTO - Pau Gasol scored a season-high 27 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Bulls to a 100-93 victory over the Raptors Thursday night. Jimmy Butler scored 21 points while adding nine rebounds and six assists for Chicago, now 7-2, who remain unbeaten on the road at 5-0. Derrick Rose scored 20 points before finishing the game on the bench after a reported left hamstring issue.
Gasol and Butler scored six points apiece to stake the Bulls to a 25-24 lead after the first quarter that saw only one turnover between the teams.
Nine turnovers in the early portion of the second quarter dug the Bulls into a 35-27 hole. Gasol had the hot hand just before halftime scoring the final 13 points for the visting Bulls who trailed 52-45 at the break.
After tying the game at 58 the Bulls closed the third with a 22-8 run. Outscoring the Raptors 35-14, Chicago held Toronto to its lowest scoring output in a quarter this season to take an 80-66 lead into the fourth.
The Raports staged a fourth quarter comeback, ourscoring Chicago 27-20 in the final stanza. Entering the game tonight, the Raptors were the highest scoring team in the NBA at 107.0 points per game.
Next, The Bulls host central division foe Indiana Saturday night at the United Center.