Eastern Conference rivals will take the floor for the first time following Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, as the Toronto Raptors host the Chicago Bulls at Scotiabank Arena.
The Bulls (24–27, 10th East) were the most active team ahead of the deadline, and new addition Jaden Ivey is listed as probable to make his team debut in Toronto. Meanwhile, Collin Sexton and Ousmane Dieng were deemed questionable for the matchup.
The Raptors (30–22, 6th East) made some subtle moves to avoid the luxury tax but retained much of their sturdy core. Still, they’re playing the second night of a back-to-back and looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s loss to the Timberwolves.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Chicago Bulls
- Out: Josh Giddey (Hamstring), Zach Collins (Toe), Noa Essengue (Shoulder), Tre Jones (Hamstring), Nikola Vucevic (Not With Team), Ayo Dosunmu (Not With Team), Coby White (Not With Team), Julian Phillips (Not With Team), Dalen Terry (Not With Team), Kevin Huerter (Not With Team)
- Questionable: Collin Sexton (Trade Pending), Ousmane Dieng (Trade Pending)
- Probable: Jaden Ivey (Trade Pending)
Toronto Raptors
- Out: Jakob Poeltl (Back), Chris Paul (Not With Team), RJ Barrett (Injury Management)
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Toronto enters as an 8.5-point home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Chicago sits as a +285 underdog. The game’s total is set at 223.5 points.
Bulls vs. Raptors Preview
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Bulls did a complete 180 at this year’s trade deadline. Sitting at 10th in the East, they gutted their core and booked one-way flights out of O’Hare for Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, and Kevin Huerter. In return, Chicago received a strong haul comprising former Pistons guard Jaden Ivey, Celtics sharpshooter Anfernee Simons, along with Collin Sexton and Ousmane Dieng from Charlotte.
While the new recruits could potentially make their team debuts on Thursday night, concerns surround Chicago’s ability to play as a cohesive unit after such a dramatic shift. Also down Josh Giddey — who’s nursing a hamstring issue — the Bulls head north of the border, missing all four of their top scorers from before the deadline.
Toronto Raptos Preview
The Raptors orchestrated subtle deals ahead of the trade deadline to successfully avoid the luxury tax. They acquired Chris Paul in a three-team deal with the Clippers and Nets that sent Ochai Agbaji to Brooklyn — then acquired center Trayce Jackson-Davis from the Warriors. Paul won’t be required to join the team, and he could get moved once again ahead of the 3 p.m. ET deadline.
Thus, the Raptors head into Thursday’s contest with virtually the same squad that sits at sixth place in the East and boasts the sixth-best defense in the NBA.
While RJ Barrett continues to battle injuries, Toronto has stayed afloat behind leading scorer Brandon Ingram and two-way stud Scottie Barnes. The latter of which, who averages 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game, recently earned his second career All-Star nod.
Bulls vs. Raptors Pick, Best Bet
On Thursday night, the new-look Bulls will be thrust into a sink-or-swim situation against a tough Raptors team with a sound defensive identity. While Chicago’s deadline splurge could make it a serious contender down the line, don’t expect that shift to start in Toronto.
