The Chicago Bulls slumped to their worst shooting performance of the season as the visiting Toronto Raptors cruised to a 110-78 victory on Saturday.
Chris Bosh scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who jumped out to a 37-16 first quarter lead to set the tone of the game. Toronto have now won two in a row after a five-game losing streak.
“Hold a team to 39 percent shooting, everybody helping each other and a consistent effort by all five guys on most possessions? That’s the way we’re going to have to play to win basketball games,” Raptors coach Jay Triano told reporters.
Guard Marco Belinelli added 15 points for Toronto while three other Raptors scored 10 or more points. Rookie DeMar DeRozan had all 11 of his points in the first quarter, where Bosh collected 13 of his.
“I just want to get back to how I used to be playing,” DeRozan said. “I was settling a lot for jump shots at the beginning of the season and just getting away from my game — getting to the basket, getting fouled and getting to the free throw line.”
John Salmons and Jannero Pargo led Chicago with 13 each. Brad Miller was the only other Bull in double figures, with 11 points.
“I’m very disappointed in the approach,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said after his team lost for only the second time in seven home games.
“We have to play with more hunger and effort,” Salmons said.
Chicago’s Joakim Noah was ejected in the third quarter after receiving his second technical foul for arguing with officials. He had nine points and seven rebounds.
HAWKS 80, MAVERICKS 75
Atlanta won their first game at Dallas in six attempts, beating the hosts in a tight game in which Joe Johnson scored 31 points and Marvin Williams had a career-high 15 rebounds.
Dirk Nowitzki had 32 points and nine rebounds for Dallas.
TRAIL BLAZERS 90, ROCKETS 89
In Portland, Oregon, Brandon Roy scored 28 points and the winning basket to help Portland beat Houston.
Roy scored on a driving layup with 3 seconds left, and Houston’s Aaron Brooks missed on the other end to give Portland a victory that was tarnished by the loss of center Greg Oden to a freak injury in the first quarter.
Oden fractured his left kneecap while jumping to defend Brooks.
The former No. 1 draft pick will undergo surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Play was stopped for 7 minutes while he was tended to. Andre Miller had 16 of his 24 points in the third quarter for the Blazers, who rallied from a 15-point deficit to snap a three-game losing streak.
In other NBA action, it was:
• Suns 115, Kings 107
• Nuggets 106, Spurs 99
• Magic 126, Warriors 118
• Clippers 88, Pacers 72
• Timberwolves 108, Jazz 101
• Bobcats 106, 76ers 105
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