Bulls 96, Raptors 80: Luol Deng led a balanced attack with 19 points as visiting Chicago overcame the absence of Derrick Rose to cruise past Toronto.

With Rose on the sidelines with a strained hamstring, all five starters finished in double figures to help the Bulls climb back above the .500 mark for the season. Joakim Noah had 18 points, Carlos Boozer and Jimmy Butler poured in 14 apiece and Kirk Hinrich finished with 12.

DeMar DeRozan scored 28 of his career high-tying 37 points in the second half for the Raptors, who shot 25.6 percent in the opening two quarters and couldn't recover. Rudy Gay added 20 points and nine rebounds but was the only other Toronto player to score in double figures.

Chicago opened the game with a 13-4 run and opened a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter that it would only briefly relinquish. Marquis Teague and Taj Gibson scored 10 of the Bulls' first 12 points in the second to put the Bulls ahead by 18, and Chicago overcame three-point plays from Gay and DeRozan in the final 2:23 to carry a 45-31 advantage into the break.

The Bulls poured it on in the third, with back-to-back 3s from Deng and Hinrich highlighting a quarter-opening 17-4 run that put Chicago ahead by 27. The lead was 74-54 entering the fourth, and Toronto didn't get closer than 14 the rest of the way despite DeRozan's second-half explosion.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rose is expected to return to the lineup for Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. ... Gay has yet to shoot 50 percent or better in a game this season. ... Raptors PG Kyle Lowry shot just 3-of-15 while missing all seven of his 3-point attempts.