Time: 07:00 P.M. EST Venue: Air Canada Centre
The Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls have probably long considered playoff spots a given, and the latter have clinched. Seeding remains entirely up in the air, and in that regard Wednesday night's meeting in Toronto could be the most influential remaining game for both of the nearly deadlocked Eastern Conference teams. Toronto can clinch the postseason with a win or a Boston loss Wednesday night against visiting Miami, and it can secure its second straight Atlantic Division title with a win and a Boston loss. That too has been assumed for some time with the Celtics 10 1/2 games off the pace. The Raptors (42-29) lost 108-104 Tuesday in Detroit, failing in a first attempt to secure a playoff spot and falling one-half game behind the Bulls (43-29) for the No. 3 seed. Chicago became the third team in the East to clinch with Monday's 98-86 home win over Charlotte. The Bulls welcomed back Jimmy Butler, who played for the first time in 12 games after suffering a sprained left elbow. The All-Star guard finished with 19 points and nine rebounds but showed some rust with a 6-of-20 shooting mark." It was great to have him back. Great," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He had a bunch of bunnies that he always makes, so his timing was not quite there but I thought as the game went on, he started to get into a rhythm." Pau Gasol had 27 points and 12 rebounds, which was nothing new for Butler to see, but newfound offensive threat Nikola Mirotic had a team-high 28 on 10-of-19 shooting. In 13 games this month, the rookie power forward has averaged 21.0 points and 8.2 rebounds. Butler has played with Mirotic all season but just twice in March as his numbers have taken off." Man, dude can play," said Butler, who has averaged 24.0 points on 53.8 percent shooting in two games against Toronto this season. "He's basically carried this month, to tell you the truth. He's confident, I think he's only going to continue to get better." It was the Bulls' third win in four games, but their Central Division hopes are becoming slimmer. With 10 games to play, they trail streaking Cleveland by three games. They do have recent success against the Raptors on their side with four straight wins, including three this season while shooting 51.7 percent, which is their top season mark against a given opponent. Toronto's 40.7 percent is its lowest against any of the 11 teams it has faced more than twice. Chicago has also taken three straight and seven of nine in Toronto. The latest meeting was a 108-92 final Friday in Chicago with 29 points and 11 rebounds from Mirotic and eight points, 10 rebounds and 14 assist out of Joakim Noah. Noah, however, missed the win over the Hornets because of general soreness. Chicago remains without Derrick Rose, but with Butler and Taj Gibson back - Gibson has played in the last three after missing 10 games - the healthier Bulls can try to begin correcting some road struggles. After going 14-4 through December, they are 6-11 away in 2015. Toronto begins a three-game homestand with Kyle Lowry's health a growing concern. Lowry returned against the Pistons after missing two games with back spasms but left early in the second quarter and didn't return. He missed last week's matchup after averaging 27.0 points in the previous two meetings, but it sounds like he'll be out again." It's probably the same injury, so I'm going to have to take my time and get it right," he said. It comes at a potentially bad time with DeMar DeRozan shooting 31.6 percent or lower in four of his last seven games.
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