Toronto Raptors go into Chicago and get neutralized by the Bulls losing 111-97

The Toronto Raptors fall to the Chicago Bulls 111-97 in a lacklustre effort. The energy wasn't there from the beginning, and defensively, they were not on the same page, allowing the Bulls to get virtually anything they wanted.

On the second night of a back-to-back, both teams looked fatigued. However, Chicago had an advantage with Zach Lavine suiting up, which he didn't do in the first matchup between these two teams in Toronto.

He instantly dominated finishing with 30 points on an efficient 11-20 shooting from the field. His energy and play were a huge lift for this group considering Demar DeRozan were limited to just nine points and six shots attempted.

The absence of Pascal Siakam became more noticeable in this outing compared to the match-up on Sunday night. Besides Fred VanVleet (27 points), it was a struggle for the Toronto Raptors to convert on offence consistently. Gary Trent Jr. finished with 19 points, however, Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby combined for just 18 points.

When looking at the stats the most significant reason the Raptors lost this game was due to the massive rebound disparity. Chicago outrebounded Toronto 49-31. There is no chance in the NBA that a team can win when they are dominated in that fashion on the glass.

It was a tough game for Toronto and they look to put this performance behind them as they fall to 6-5 on the season. The Raptors will face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM ET.