Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN the Chicago Bulls (43-29), the third-place team in the Eastern Conference, will head up north to face the Toronto Raptors (42-29), the top team in the Atlantic division and a squad just a half-game behind them. Watch the game online free by clicking this link. Bulls fans may find the radio broadcast on ESPN 1000, while Raptors fans may do likewise on TSN 1050.
The Raptors and Bulls are still battling for seeding, but the Raptors can clinch a playoff berth no matter what by getting a win tonight. The Bulls have already clinched a spot in the postseason for themselves, and are energized by the return of swingman Jimmy Butler on Monday in a win over the Hornets.
"It was great to have him back. Great," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He had a bunch of bunnies that he always makes, so his timing was not quite there but I thought as the game went on, he started to get into a rhythm."
Butler is vital to Chicago's vaunted defense, often taking on the opposing team's top perimeter threat regardless of their position. With Butler missing, rookie Nikola Mirotic has picked up the slack, averaging 20 points and eight rebounds over the 12-game span Butler was absent for.
"Man, dude can play," Butler said of Mirotic. "He's basically carried this month, to tell you the truth. He's confident, I think he's only going to continue to get better."
The Raptors may be without point guard Kyle Lowry, who left Toronto's most recent tilt with back spasms. "It's probably the same injury, so I'm going to have to take my time and get it right," Lowry said.
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