As many would have expected, the last-place Bulls, despite a game-high 30 points from star forward Jalen Rose, failed to cool off the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night. The Raptors used a 117-104 victory to extend their season-high win streak to six games and the Bulls' losing streak to seven games.

''I felt like our guys came prepared and were ready to play,'' Bulls coach Bill Cartwright said.

So ready that the Bulls jumped out to a 19-9 lead after Rose's three-point play with 6:27 left in the first quarter.