Raptors’ fading playoff hopes take another hit with loss to Bulls

Pascal Siakam added 27 points and eight rebounds for Toronto.

WATCH | Boucher’s effort not enough as Raptors fall to Bulls:

Chicago wins 122-113. Toronto only dresses 8 players due to injuries, a suspension and COVID-19 protocols. 0:41

LaVine and Vucevic combined for 15 points on an early 19-3 run that gave the Bulls their first 10-point lead.

Chicago ran off 13 straight points while the Raptors missed 10 straight shots, and a 3-pointer by Coby White made it 51-31 with 6:04 left in the first half.

Two 3-pointers and a three-point play by Boucher helped Toronto cut the margin to seven late in he fourth quarter, but LaVine closed it out with a layup and a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left.

Rookie Malachi Flynn got his first NBA start for the Raptors, who had only eight players available for the game. They signed Freddie Gillespie to a 10-day contract early Thursday, but the 6-foot-9 former G-League player had not cleared the NBA’s entry protocol in time to play.

WATCH | North Courts — Raptors mailbag:

CBC Sports’ Vivek Jacob and Jevohn Shepherd answer fan questions about the Toronto Raptors in the first North Courts mailbag. 4:36