PREVIEW: The Chicago Bulls will host the Toronto Raptors on Thursday at 8 p.m. EST, with the Raptors favored by 5.5 points as the higher-seeded Eastern Conference team. Chicago sits in 11th place with a 24-31 record while Toronto holds fifth place at 32-23 , creating a stark contrast in trajectory heading into the final stretch. The Bulls have collapsed recently, posting a 1-9 mark in their last ten games, while the Raptors have stayed competitive at 6-4 over the same span . What's particularly revealing is how each team attacks the basket: Toronto excels at efficient attacking the rim and good passing while struggling with low-frequency three-point shooting, whereas Chicago relies on high-frequency rim attacks and post-up opportunities but allows opponents too many attacking opportunities at the basket . The personnel matchup tells a compelling story about both rosters' current state. Brandon Ingram leads Toronto's scoring at 21.8 points per game, Scottie Barnes contributes 19.3 points with 8.4 rebounds, and Immanuel Quickley handles playmaking duties with 6.1 assists. For Chicago, Josh Giddey averages 18.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists while Matas Buzelis provides 15.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. The teams split their season series initially with Toronto winning 123-107 in their first meeting , setting up a rematch where the Raptors' consistency will be tested against a Bulls squad desperately searching for stability.