NBA: Fred VanVleet scores 30 in return, leads Raptors past Bulls
FILE – Fred VanVleet #23 and OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors celebrate after a play during the second half of their basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Scotiabank Arena on October 26, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mark Blinch/Getty Images/AFP
Fred VanVleet returned from a three-game absence and had a season-high 30 points and added 11 assists as the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 113-104 Sunday night.
VanVleet’s return from a back issue was a boost for the Raptors, who will be without Pascal Siakam (groin) for at least two weeks. Siakam was injured in the third quarter of the loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
Article continues after this advertisementOG Anunoby added 22 points and Scottie Barnes had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who visit Chicago for a rematch on Monday.
Fred VanVleet in the Raptors win tonight:
30 PTS
5 REB
11 AST
5 3PM— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2022
Gary Trent Jr. scored 12 points for Toronto and Christian Koloko had career highs in points (11) and blocks (six) along with seven rebounds.
Article continues after this advertisementDeMar DeRozan scored 20 points for the Bulls.
Nikola Vucevic had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Goran Dragic added 16 points, and Ayo Dosunmu had 15 for Chicago. Patrick Williams scored 13 points, Javonte Green notched 10 and Alex Caruso supplied four points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
Toronto took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, which opened with seven straight Chicago points. Toronto responded with a 7-0 burst.
Toronto took a three-point lead on Anunoby’s layup with 5:18 remaining in the fourth. Anunoby’s steal and layup with 3:47 to play bumped the lead to six. Barnes increased the advantage to eight with a putback layup with 2:16 left. DeRozan’s three-point play with 2:01 left cut the Bulls’ deficit to five, but that was the closest they would get.
Chicago led 30-21 after one quarter.
Williams hit a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to 13 in the first minute of the second quarter. After blocking a shot, Koloko made a dunk at the other end to cap a 16-4 run that gave Toronto a 43-42 lead with 4:42 left in the first half. Toronto led 55-49 at halftime.
Trent’s floater and free throw bumped Toronto’s lead to 10 with 9:54 left in the third. Chicago used a 9-0 surge to trim the lead to one. Chicago went on to finish the third quarter on an 11-2 run.
