Justin Holiday continues to work together despite heavy Bulls defeats

Say this for Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri: he is certainly not afraid to see things big. Although most NBA analysts predict that there is virtually no chance that Kawhi Leonard is considering signing a long-term contract in Toronto when he comes into play as a free agent in July 2019 Ujiri traded All-Star goalkeeper DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl's backup center in San Antonio to Leonard and San Antonio. keep Danny Green.

DeRozan is extremely popular in Toronto, especially after a long-term commitment to franchising, while many experts predicted that the native of LA would sign with the Lakers or Clippers. DeRozan is also extremely tight with Kyle Lowry, the playmaker of the All-Star and Raptors. Lowry was initially devastated by the trade news, but returned this season with a positive attitude on what the team can accomplish by adding Leonard to the starting lineup.

In the first month of the season, it seems that Leonard has returned to the form that placed him among the top 10 players in the league. He is still an elite defenseman as he led the Raptors with 24.2 points per game, shooting 0.47 on the field and 0.364 from the 3-point line. Leonard also averages close to 8 rebounds and 2 flights per game.

Lowry continues to play at a high level at age 32, averaging about 16 points and 11 assists per game, and the Raptors get a big advantage from young power striker Pascal Siakam, who came back as a even more important part of the rotation after being a complementary element of the outstanding Toronto Bank a year ago.

Green seamlessly integrated the starting formation alongside Lowry. Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas provided bounce and rim protection to reinforce Leonard's fierce perimeter defense. Ibaka now starts in the center, with Siakam in front of power and Valanciunas in the background.

So, is Toronto the best team in the East right now? Bulls analyst Kendall Gill is a big fan of the Raptors, citing the impact that Leonard can have on both sides in a series of potential playoffs against the Bucks, Celtics and 76'ers.

I think it's still too early to say because the Sixers are still on the market to add some shot, and Boston will only get better as the season progresses by reinstating Gordon Hayward in the rotation. The Raptors are good, but their core group of O.G. Anunoby, Fred Van Vleet, Delon Wright and C.J. Miles do not have the same impact as a year ago and the jury still has not evaluated Leonard's ability to stay healthy for an entire season.

Right now, first-year coach Nick Nurse has supported the chemistry of the team built under Dwane Casey, while ensuring that Lowry feels appreciated after the exchange of his best friend. The Raptors will no longer have to worry about LeBron James at the time of the playoffs, but their overall talent will be a bit inferior to Boston and Philadelphia.

That said, the Bulls will have their hands full Saturday night at the United Center.

How can they stay with the team that has the best record in the East?

1. DO NOT TURN THE BALL. Like most elite teams, Toronto loves to capitalize on its opponents' mistakes, so live ball shifts can turn into lay-ups and dunks at the other end. Leonard remains one of the league's best two-way players, and his ability to get his hands on loose balls and negligent passes is fueling the Raptors' fastbreak.

2. LIMITS THE OPPORTUNITIES OF CHANCE ON THE SECOND CHANCE. Valanciunas did not become the low-scoring threat that the Raptors had envisioned, but he had several good games against the Bulls by attacking the glass of the offensive. Ibaka also reached a plateau after a promising start to Oklahoma City, but he remains a powerful offensive rebound. In addition, Siakam has been an offensive terror in his last 6 games, and he is relentless in trying to miss the shots missed.

3. MAKE SOME 3 & # 39; S. Nothing helps an oppressed team more than a productive night from 3 points. Zach LaVine lost his cool after a warm start, mainly because of the presence of aggressive double teams limiting his chances. Ryan Arcidiacono, Antonio Blakeney and Justin Holiday are currently the best three point shooters in the Bulls. They will have to show restraint when the Raptors' defense will take over LaVine.

You can watch the Saturday Night Bulls-Raptors game on NBC Sports Chicago. Kendall will be in Charlotte, where he will be honored as one of the 10 best players in Hornets' history as part of the franchise's 30th anniversary celebrations. We send our congratulations to KG for this well deserved honor.

Stacey King will join Will Perdue and me at the Bulls Pre-Game Live at 6:30 pm. He will help us again at the post-game show after calling the action with Neil Funk at 7pm. We hope you will make plans to join us.