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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Sharif Phillips-Keaton

Player Grades: Bulls fall as Fred VanVleet leads Raptors at home

The Chicago Bulls took on the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at Scotiabank Arena and lost 113-104. Chicago got exceptional games out of big Nikola Vucevic (18 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists) and guard Alex Caruso (11 rebounds and 11 assists), but those efforts weren’t enough as Toronto guard Fred VanVleet put together a double-double of 30 points and 11 assists.

Chicago guard DeMar DeRozan had a good game considering that Toronto doubled him every time he touched the ball, especially on pick-and-rolls. Goran Dragic turned back the clock a bit to give the Bulls 16 points in 21 minutes off the bench while forward Patrick Williams had a good game despite struggling from the field.

DeMar DeRozan: B

DeRozan shot the ball only nine times, but that was mostly because of how the Raptors were defending once he touched the ball. After the way DeRozan torched the Boston Celtics on Friday for 46 points, Toronto clearly made an effort to make sure DeRozan didn’t replicate that performance against them.

 

Nikola Vucevic: B+

Vucevic had another great game as he hit timely 3’s and showed his versatility by getting 6 assists as well. Toronto scored 62 points in the paint, but some of that wasn’t on him.

Alex Caruso: B

Caruso provided the spark that teams need when one of its best players can’t go. Caruso struggled to shooting from the field at 1-for-11, but his energy in getting 11 rebounds and 11 assists kept Chicago in the game.

Ayo Dosunmu: B

Dosunmu has done what has been asked of him since he was inserted into the starting lineup. He helps with scoring and facilitating and even though it wasn’t his best shooting night, he did what he could to match FVV.

Patrick Williams: B

Williams put more of his athleticism on display and showed why he was the 4th overall pick in 2020. His size and physical profile are things that Chicago can build on when he’s dunking all of the time.

Goran Dragic: B+

Dragic decided that he was needed in the absence of guard Zach LaVine and he delivered. If Dragic hadn’t turned back the clock, who knows where the Bulls would’ve been through the early stages of this game.

Javonte Green: B

Green showed some toughness and determination to deal with Van Vleet all night. Green showed more of his physical prowess in helping to put some size in front of VanVleet.

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