Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls Prediction & Match Preview - January 26th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22
![The Chicago Bulls will host the Toronto Raptors on January 26th [Source: NBA.com]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/01/69307-16431689988282-1920.jpg?w=500)
The Chicago Bulls will return from their three-game road trip as they return home to host the Toronto Raptors at the United Center on January 26th.
The Toronto Raptors will head into this away fixture on the back of a 125-113 win against the Charlotte Hornets. Avoiding a losing slide in the process of winning at home, the Raptors have moved above .500 for the season.
The Chicago Bulls are coming off a 111-110 thriller against the OKC Thunder. Snapping a two-game winning streak in the process, the Bulls occupy the second spot in the Eastern Conference table.
Wednesday's fixture will be the second installment of the season series between the two teams. With the Bulls emerging as winners in their first game, Toronto will look to level the series at one apiece on the road.
Match Details
Fixture - Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Wednesday, January 26th, 2022; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, January 27th, 2022; 6:30 AM IST)
Venue - United Center, Chicago, IL
Toronto Raptors Preview
Although the Toronto Raptors faced major obstacles during the month of December and were ravaged by the COVID outbreak, they managed to get back on track and currently hold a 23-22 record for the season.
Their latest win against the Charlotte Hornets saw a consistent performance by their roster for three quarters. With a dominant first half, the Raptors coasted for the rest of the game.
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Featuring solid performances by Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, the Toronto Raptors made up for the absence of key players such as Fred VanVleet and Scottie Barnes.
Although the Raptors will enjoy this win at home, their last few outings have been relatively inconsistent in that regard. WIth a 2-3 record in their last five games, the Raptors will play their next one with a two-game road losing streak. Heading into this back-to-back, Toronto will have to face an uphill battle as they face Chicago.
Key Player - Pascal Siakam
A key player for the Toronto Raptors in their upcoming matchup will be Pascal Siakam. The 27-year-old star is one of the Raptors' key players. Contributing on both ends of the floor, Toronto will need Siakam to be a dominant force against the Bulls.
Siakam is coming off a 24-point outing in the win against the Hornets. Recording a near triple-double with nine rebounds and 12 assists along with his scoring, Siakam played a major role in Toronto's success on the night.
He has also been extremely consistent these past few games. Scoring 20+ points in four consecutive outings, Siakam is registering an average of 24.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game over the course of the last 10 games.
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In the game against the Bulls, Siakam will be a big factor because of his length. Playing a relatively smaller Chicago rotation, the Raptors forward will have to dominate in order to lead the team to a win.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Gary Trent Jr. | G - OG Anunoby | F - Paskal Siakam | F - Precious Achiuwa | C - Chris Boucher
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls are coming off a close win against the OKC Thunder. Although the Bulls led for the majority of the game, a late-game run by the tenacious Thunder side forced the Bulls to fend for themselves in order to secure a win.
Featuring some poor execution beginning in the third quarter, the Bulls saw an 18-point lead dwindle as the Thunder side pushed them to their limits. On the back of some key performances by Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, Chicago also saw Ayo Dosunmu emerge as a significant contributor for the side.
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The Chicago Bulls have been ravaged by injury. With Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso being key members of their rotation who have been sidelined, the Bulls will be glad to see DeMar DeRozan return to the rotation for this game at home.
While this didn't happen in the previous game, Chicago will hope to see a better outing from their bench as they host the Raptors on Wednesday night.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
The Chicago Bulls will look to Zach LaVine to be a key player in Wednesday night's matchup at home.
LaVine is one of the most gifted scorers in the league. Although he has suffered a few setbacks due to injury and health and safety protocols this season, LaVine continues to be a threat as he scores quick and scores in bunches.
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Coming off a 23-point outing against the Thunder, LaVine also recorded seven assists and seven rebounds. Although his shooting figures were subpar, the 26-year old could see a resurgence in his shooting numbers as the team returns home.
Coming up against a Toronto team that is missing a few key perimeter defenders, Zach LaVine has the opportunity to act as a threat in order to free up the rest of his team. With DeRozan returning as well, the duo make for a solid scoring punch in Chicago.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Ayo Dosunmu | G - Zach LaVine | F - Javonte Green | F - DeMar DeRozan | C - Nikola Vucevic
Raptors vs Bulls Match Predictions
The Toronto Raptors vs Chicago Bulls game seems fairly balanced for the most part. Although the Bulls are one of the best teams in the league, they will be missing some key players in the game.
Similarly, the Raptors will also see some key pieces out of the rotation due to injury. The only advantage that may give Chicago the upper hand will be their homecourt advantage along with the fatigue Toronto will face as they travel to Chicago on the second night of a back-to-back.
Where to watch Raptors vs Bulls game?
The game will be locally broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game on 670 The Score/TUDN and Univision Sports as well.