The Toronto Raptors are one of the very few teams to have faced the new-look Chicago Bulls.
While they may not have gotten a chance to match up against all of the newbies, they did play host to the shaken-up Bulls on trade deadline night. And they sure made the most of it. The team handed Chicago an ugly 123-107 loss. While the Bulls were able to knock down a surprising 18 triples, their defense was essentially non-existent against this long and physical Raptors rotation.
Toronto shot 56.3 percent from the field and dished 35 assists. They were also able to take full advantage of Chicago's lack of chemistry, forcing 17 turnovers and scoring 22 points off those mistakes.
The good news for Chicago is that it will welcome back some familiar faces this evening. Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, and Jalen Smith are each expected to suit up. All three can play a part in stabilizing things. The bad news is that their return may not solve many problems on the defensive end, particularly against this athletic Raptors squad.
Nevertheless, scoring shouldn't be a major problem for this guard-heavy Bulls team over the next handful of weeks. Perhaps they can simply score enough points to keep things tight and pull off the unexpected win (even if that might not be in their best interest).
How to Watch
Who: Toronto Raptors (32-23) at Chicago Bulls (24-31)
Where: United Center
When: 7:00 PM CT
Watch: Chicago Sports Network
Projected Starting Lineups
Chicago Bulls
1. Collin Sexton
2. Anfernee Simons
3. Isaac Okoro
4. Matas Buzelis
5. Guerschon Yabusele
Toronto Raptors
1. Immanuel Quickley
2. Ja'Kobe Walter
3. Brandon Ingram
4. Scottie Barnes
5. Collin Murray-Boyles
Injury News
Tre Jones of the Chicago Bulls
Jan 16, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) goes to the basket against Brooklyn Nets guard Drake Powell (4) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
As stated above, the Chicago Bulls will welcome back three rotation players tonight. While Jalen Smith did play with a few of the new guys in their last meeting with this Toronto team, neither Giddey nor Jones has suited up alongside any of them. There is no question that is going to come with a learning curve.
Relatedly, the coaching staff is going to have its hands full trying to split up the playing time. Rob Dillingham and Jaden Ivey have had their moments since putting on a Bulls uniform, but will their opportunities now shrink?
Chicago Bulls Injury Report
Jalen Smith – PROBABLE (calf)
Josh Giddey – PROBABLE (hamstring)
Tre Jones – PROBABLE (hamstring)
Zach Collins – OUT (toe)
Toronto Raptors Injury Report
Collin Murray-Boyles – PROBABLE (thumb)
Sandro Mamukelashvili – QUESTIONABLE (rib)