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  September 25, 2018 11:16 AM EEST

  TORONTO - The Raptors (4-5) will look to build off their most encouraging outing of the season at the Air Canada Centre Friday when they host the Chicago Bulls (3-3), who are expected to be without their star point guard. Catch all the action live on TSN at 7pm et and listen on TSN Radio 1050. Derrick Rose, who is nursing a sore right hamstring, is unlikely to play, according to Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. However, that was news to Rose Friday morning. "Theyre still leaving it up to me," Rose said prior to his teams shoot-around, refusing to rule himself out. "[Ill] go out there, see how shoot-around goes and if theres any tightness or soreness, theres no point to go out there and play but if I go out there and it loosens up, I think Ill be playing." The Raptors are returning home after splitting a two-game Western road trip. Following a heartbreaking double-overtime loss in Houston, they bounced back and defeated the Grizzlies, 103-87 on Wednesday. Toronto held Memphis to 43 per cent shooting and forced 19 turnovers, outshooting them 39-17 at the free-throw line. Coming off an atrocious shooting performance in Mondays loss, Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan were both efficient in Memphis. Gay scored 23 points on 8-of-18 from the field against his former team and DeRozan added 18 points, shooting 7-of-13. It was the first time both players shot over 36 per cent in the same game this season. Rose sustained his injury on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter of Chicagos 96-81 win over the Cavaliers Monday. He has sat out of consecutive practices but with the Bulls off since the beginning of the week, the hope was that he would be able to return in Toronto. "Hes a little better," Thibodeau said of the former MVP. "If he can go, we want him to go. If he feels like he cant go, then we dont want him to go." Regardless of whether or not Rose is able to play, Dwane Caseys game plan remains the same. "Theyre going to be the same team," said the Raptors coach. "Theyre going to hit you in the mouth, punch you in the gut and just [play] smash mouth basketball whether he plays or not." Rose is averaging 28.7 points and 10.3 assists in his last three games against the Raptors, but hes missed the last five meetings and hasnt played in Toronto since February of 2011 after sitting out all of last season recovering from knee surgery. Trends and Tidbits Both the Raptors and Bulls are among the leagues top-five teams in second-chance points. Toronto leads the NBA in that category, averaging 20.2 points off the offensive glass while Chicago ranks fifth with 15.1. The Raptors are averaging 107.3 points, exceeding the century mark in each of their last three games after scoring just 92.3 in their first six contests. Theyre 2-1 on the season when scoring 100 or more points after going 16-16 last year. The Bulls are 28th in scoring, totalling just 92.3 points per game. Over the last three games, the Raptors are averaging 21.3 points off turnovers, while holding opponents to just 12.7 points off their own miscues. Chicago has committed 17.7 turnovers per game, third most in the association. Toronto hasnt had a record at or above .500 through 10 games since the 2009-10 season, the last year Chris Bosh played for the team. What to Watch For Move the ball For the Raptors, its pretty simple. Good things happen when they move the ball. After registering 10 assists in 58 minutes Monday, they totalled 11 in the first half of Wednesdays win. Gay and DeRozan set the tone early in that game looking to get their teammates involved and it was contagious from there. Everyone was getting easier looks and, as a result, they were more efficient as a team, playing their best basketball of the season. "The Memphis game was one of our [best] moving the ball," Casey said. "Were still trying to get that identity and maintain it, be consistent with it because any time we move the ball and pass the ball, it does create a problem [for the other team]. "Everyday we drill it," he continued. "We talk about it [and] we work on it, so its nothing new." Take care of home court The Raptors happily return home after playing six of their first nine games away from the ACC. Along with Cleveland and Washington, Toronto has played the most road games to start the season. While the Bulls havent missed a beat at home, where theyre a perfect 3-0, theyve struggled on the road to begin the season. They are winless in three games away from Chicago and are giving up 25.4 more points on the road (103.7) than they are at home (78.3). Chicago hasnt started a season 0-4 on the road since 2008-09. Who to Watch For Terrence Ross The Raptors bench was outscored by opponents reserves in each of the first six games but has bested the other teams subs in two of the last three. Ross is largely responsible for that turnaround, leading Torontos second unit in scoring in each of the last two contests. Over that span, the Raptors guard averaged 8.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, shooting 7-of-11 from the field. "Its becoming easier," the sophomore admitted. "Just [playing with more] focus basically. [Im] playing hard, really just paying attention to detail so I think thats a key thing thats going on with me right now. Casey has been impressed with Ross commitment and focus on the defensive end, which has translated to more playing time for the reserve. "Hes athletic enough he can make a mistake and catch up and make up for it," Casey said, calling Ross one of the teams better on-the-ball defenders but pointing to his improving weak-side defence. "You just dont want to make a living on that." Carlos Boozer Boozer has quietly gotten off to an excellent start for the Bulls, as Rose continues to experience highs and lows working his way back from the knee injury. The Bulls forward is averaging a team-high 18.0 points along with 8.3 rebounds, shooting 60 per cent from the field, good for the third-best percentage in the league. Boozer has scored 24.5 points and grabbed 11.3 rebounds in his last four games against the Raptors. Injury Report Rose is doubtful with a sore right hamstring for Chicago. Steve Novak, who has been inactive for six of Torontos first nine games with back tightness, is feeling better and is expected to play Friday. Chris Beck Jersey . Off-season additions Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley did not train with the club today, prompting Nelsen to declare its too early to tell if either will be ready for Saturday. Paul Konerko Jersey . Louis Blues are reportedly taking restricted free agent forward Vladimir Sobotka to arbitration. http://www.whitesoxteamshop.com/White-Sox-Ron-Santo-Kids-Jersey/. Needing to bulk up on both sides of the line, the Falcons agreed to terms with guard Jon Asamoah, defensive end Tyson Jackson and defensive tackle Paul Soliai. Asamoah and Jackson played last season with Kansas City, where Asamoah lost his starting job. Carlton Fisk Jersey .C. -- Lucy Li made two double bogeys, a triple bogey and finished her historic round at the U. Frank Thomas Jersey . Ryu (8-3) allowed a run and three hits in six innings and struck out six in his 13th start. In his first 13 starts last season -- his first in the major leagues -- the left-hander was 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA. This was the ninth time this year that Ryu has allowed fewer than three earned runs, and he is 7-0 in those games. DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was briefly taken from a jail to a hospital this weekend for an undisclosed problem, a Massachusetts sheriff said. Hernandez was brought to St. Lukes Hospital in New Bedford Saturday and was back at the Bristol County jail in Dartmouth about an hour later, Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said Sunday. Hodgson said he cant disclose what happened because of medical privacy laws. Hernandez, a Bristol, Connecticut, native, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in connection with the killings of two men in Boston in 2012 and the killing of another man found near Hernandezs home in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. The hospital visit, first reported by WBZ-TV in Boston, came a day after his attorneys said in a transfer request that Hernandez should be moved to a jail closer to Boston becausee communication with his attorneys and his personal safety are being compromised.dddddddddddd Boston-based attorneys Michael Fee and James Sultan complained their client has dealt with "bizarre and unprecedented" restrictions in his communications with his lawyers. Hernandez cannot always speak privately over the phone and in-person visits are limited to a specially-designated visitation room at the prison, they said. The lawyers also suggested Hernandezs safety is at risk now that he faces criminal charges for allegedly threatening to kill a prison guard and his family, and in an alleged jail altercation with another inmate. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty. Hernandez is set to appear in court in Boston this week in the 2012 drive-by shooting that killed Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to all three killings. Cheap Ducks Jerseys Cheap Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Bruins Jerseys Cheap Sabres Jerseys Cheap Flames Jerseys Cheap Hurricanes Jerseys Cheap Blackhawks Jerseys Cheap Avalanche Jerseys Cheap Blue Jackets Jerseys Cheap Stars Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Oilers Jerseys Cheap Florida Panthers Jerseys Cheap Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Cheap Wild Jerseys ' ' '