TORONTO, Canada (AFP) — DeMar DeRozan crowned a 42-point display with a crucial overtime basket as the Toronto Raptors came from behind to down the Chicago Bulls 122-120 in a bruising battle on Tuesday.
DeRozan’s masterclass saw Toronto end an 11-game losing streak in matches against the Bulls which has included two losses already this season.
A stormy clash saw Chicago’s Robin Lopez and Toronto’s Serge Ibaka both being ejected during the third quarter after a brawl erupted.
Lopez finished the game with 12 points while Ibaka had 16 points before the dismissals.
The Bulls, who fell to 33-38, looked to be on course for an important victory after opening up a 15-point advantage at the close of the third quarter.
But the Raptors mounted a superb fourt quarter comeback with Cory Joseph cutting the lead to four points with two free throws with 3:27 left.
Fred VanVleet cut the lead to two points with a layup as the home crowd roared the Raptors on.
Toronto leveled it via a Joseph layup with 1:50 on the clock but Jimmy Butler hit back with a jumper and a layup to restore the Bulls’ four-point cushion with 1:12 left.
DeRozan then rescued Toronto with a jump shot that cut the lead to two points and tied it with a layup as the seconds ticked down.
The game went to overtime with the scores locked at 113-113 before DeRozan hit a jumper to help Toronto into a 117-115 lead.
A further layup by Patrick Patterson saw Toronto go four points clear with 44.7 left in overtime.
Butler’s three-pointer set up a nervous finish with 2.8 seconds left but Toronto held on.
Butler finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds for Chicago. Rajon Rondo chipped in with 24 points for the Bulls while Paul Zipser had 12.