This is a step-up game for the Raptors made more so by a rare national television home appearance (TNT). The Raptors should be up to the challenge. They certainly will be highly motivated.

Toronto has won 26 of its past 33 games at Air Canada Centre. This includes a 5-0 mark this season. The Raptors made the playoffs last season and look better this season leading the NBA in scoring at 107 points per game.

The Bulls are not in sync yet with Derrick Rose in and out of the lineup bothered by ankle sprains. The Bulls' defense is down ranking 14th in points per game allowed and second-to-last in defensive rebounding.

This is a good time for the Raptors to be meeting the Bulls. Toronto hasn't played a daunting schedule, but neither has Chicago. The Bulls' last six games have been against the Timberwolves, Magic, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics and Pistons, who they defeated this past Monday night. Chicago is 1-8 ATS the past nine times it has played following a victory.

The Raptors are in good physical shape. This is their fourth consecutive home game. They nearly got caught peeking ahead to this matchup, but rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to beat Orlando, 104-100, two nights ago. The Raptors don't play again until Saturday when they host Utah. This is the game they are pointing to.

Toronto has covered the past seven times it has hosted an opponent with a winning road record. The Raptors have also covered in nine of their last 12 meetings versus the Bulls.

The Raptors' two key big men, Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson, are healthy and their underrated backcourt of Kyle Lowery and DeMar DeRozan rates an edge with Rose not 100 percent.