DeMar DeRozan May Have Ended Toronto's Hopes for the 5th Seed as Bulls Cruise Past Raptors

The Toronto Raptors' chances to earn the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference took a serious hit Monday night as DeMar DeRozan led the Chicago Bulls to victory

Aaron Rose | Mar 21, 2022

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors needed that one.

The fifth seed in the Eastern Conference isn't out of reach quite yet, but Monday night's 113-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls certainly hurt. The Bulls had been scuffling of late, having lost three straight and eight of their last 10 games. They looked primed to be overtaken by the surging Raptors. But on the second night of a back-to-back, a six-minute scoring drought in the third quarter proved decisive as the Bulls piled it on late to jump 2.5 games up on Toronto with the playoff tiebreaker now in hand.

1. Raptors Trust in Birch Paying Off

It would have been easy for the Raptors to move away from Khem Birch earlier in the year and just leave the 29-year-old big man whithering away on the bench. Frankly, most teams would have, Birch admitted as much. But for whatever reason, Raptors coach Nick Nurse kept running the 6-foot-9 Canadian out there night after night, hoping for change.

Lately, it has.

Birch is still a little up-and-down, but Monday's game was all up. He made savvy passes, moved the ball to open scorers, and looked sturdy and mobile as he worked the two-man game to free up Fred VanVleet in the halfcourt.

"I think he just helps the whole team with his screening, his rolling, he’s got the short roll, he’s got the floater, he can pass, he’s just a really smart player offensively," VanVleet said of Birch who finished the night with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists. "He knows how to play, he’s a very complimentary piece to play off of myself, Pascal, Scottie, Gary, other threats with the way he screens and he can find that short roll and the long roll."

Barnes ➡️ Birch ➡️ Boucher pic.twitter.com/r0E97l4A64
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 22, 2022

His offensive rebounding remains strong and his defense helped Toronto limit Nikola Vucevic who he somehow blocked in deep paint position early in the third quarter.

While Precious Achiuwa may be the future of the center position for Toronto with his thrilling potential and developing offensive skills, Birch remains solid. He's not going to put up gaudy numbers, but, when healthy, he's a difference-maker when surrounded with talent.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) goes up for a dunk against the Chicago Bulls during the first quarter at United Center

Toronto Raptors forward Precious Achiuwa (5) defends Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) during the first quarter at United Center

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) goes up for a dunk against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at United Center

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) defends Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher (25) during the first quarter at United Center

2. DeRozan Unfazed by Raptors Defenders

It didn't matter who Toronto threw at DeMar DeRozan, the former Raptors guard just nailed pull-up jumpers right over Toronto's best defensive options.

The night started with Precious Achiuwa and Scottie Barnes taking on the 32-year-old veteran, but even when Toronto had near-perfect defense on DeRozan with a hand in his face, he somehow managed to get his shot off. He got into the middle of Toronto's defense and just rose up for his patented fadeaway. It wasn't until the two-minute mark of the second quarter that DeRozan missed his first bucket of the night after a perfect 5-for-5 start.

In the fourth, DeRozan did what he does best. He got to the free-throw line repeatedly and took over the game, ending the night for Toronto with 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting.

Highlight of the Night

VanVleet and Chris Boucher somehow hooked up for a nearly impossible alley-oop Monday night. VanVleet threw the ball so far out in front of Boucher it looked like he had no chance to corral it. And yet, the Canadian forward found a way to snare it and flush a one-handed dunk.

🗣 BONJOUR pic.twitter.com/ga1XZE7He2
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 22, 2022

It was one of a handful of impressive plays from Boucher who came off the bench for 19 points against the Bulls.

VanVleet, however, didn't quite have such an impressive night. He was 7-for-22 and missed a handful of wide-open three-pointers. It continued a worrying trend from VanVleet who hasn't quite looked right since the All-Star break as he continues to navigate an injured right knee.

"It's just one of those things where it's got to kind of take it day by day and figure it out as you go," VanVleet said of his ailing knee. "It's a difficult situation."

Injury Update: Trent Will be Assessed in Toronto

The Raptors are planning to fly home with Gary Trent Jr. and get his hyperextended left big toe assessed in Toronto on Tuesday.

Up Next: Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers did the Raptors a big favor Monday night, knocking off the Cleveland Cavaliers 131-120. It allows the Raptors to remain within striking distance of the Cavaliers, just one game back of that coveted sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with the Cavaliers scheduled to play in Toronto on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. Raptors coach Nick Nurse said the team is thinking about the difference between the sixth and seventh seed, but a chance to avoid Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in the play-in tournament is certainly worth fighting for.

Published Mar 21, 2022

AARON ROSE

Aaron Rose is a Toronto-based reporter covering the Toronto Raptors since 2020.