# Raptors Rout Bulls 135–92 in Season Opener

Toronto turned its 25-point halftime lead into a 43-point victory, with Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard scoring 23 apiece.

By The Signal Edition | Sports / Basketball
Published: 2026-10-22T00:57:00Z
Updated: 2026-10-22T04:21:52Z
Canonical: https://www.thesignaledition.com/article/bulls-raptors-halftime-check-1iowq5p
Image: https://www.thesignaledition.com/media/cfcedaf13b9ca0a821cdae1eb4839608.webp (Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley drives past Chicago Bulls guard Anfernee Simons during a game at Scotiabank Arena.; credit: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images via Sports Illustrated)

## Summary
- Toronto defeated Chicago 135–92 on Oct. 21 in the season opener for both teams.
- Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard each scored 23 points; RJ Barrett added 20.
- Matas Buzelis led Chicago with 17 points, and rookie Caleb Wilson scored 16 in his NBA debut.
- The Raptors never trailed and forced 27 Bulls turnovers while committing 11.

## Toronto turns halftime lead into rout

The Toronto Raptors converted their 69–44 halftime advantage into a 135–92 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, opening the 2026–27 regular season with a 43-point margin. The result settles the game that was still in progress when an earlier update reported the halftime score. Toronto never trailed, according to Reuters’ game report; ESPN also lists the final as Raptors 135, Bulls 92. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/) [2](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401909837/bulls-raptors)

Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 23 points apiece. RJ Barrett added 20 points, while Quickley also recorded seven assists. Ja’Kobe Walter scored 10 as the Raptors built a balanced attack and finished with a 34–13 edge in fast-break points, Reuters reported. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/)

The lead was established early. Toronto opened on a 7–0 run and took a 43–23 advantage after the first quarter, with Quickley scoring 14 in the period. An 11–0 stretch spanning the first and second quarters helped push the margin to 51–23. The Raptors continued to pull away after the break, reaching 101–62 late in the third quarter, Reuters’ account said. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/)

## Bulls’ opener disrupted by turnovers

Chicago’s Matas Buzelis scored a team-high 17 points, making 13 of 16 free throws, while rookie Caleb Wilson contributed 16 in his debut. Jalen Smith and Norman Powell each added 15 points, and Tre Jones scored 13 off the bench. Those efforts were not enough to keep pace with Toronto’s early scoring or its expanding second-half lead, Reuters reported. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/)

The turnover count was a decisive measure of the gap: Chicago gave the ball away 27 times, compared with 11 for Toronto. The Raptors turned defensive pressure into transition chances, reflected in their 21-point advantage in fast-break scoring. The official NBA game listing identifies the matchup as the Oct. 21 meeting in Toronto; Reuters’ report confirms the final and the game details. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/) [3](https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-tor-0022600088)

The halftime update had captured the scale of Toronto’s control but not its eventual extent. The Raptors added 66 points after the break while holding Chicago to 48, widening the original 25-point gap into the final 43-point difference. That second-half scoring split is calculated from the halftime and final totals reported for the game. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/) [2](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401909837/bulls-raptors)

## A decisive start for Toronto

The victory gave Toronto a convincing start to the season at home, while Chicago began its campaign with a loss. Leonard, reacquired by the Raptors in a Sept. 14 trade, returned to the franchise he helped lead to its first NBA championship in 2019. His 23 points matched Barnes and Quickley for the team high. Reuters reported that the three-way scoring lead anchored the opener’s result. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/)

The final score is 135–92, not the 69–44 halftime snapshot in the initial report. Toronto’s 43-point win stands as the settled outcome of the teams’ season opener, corroborated by Reuters and ESPN’s game result listing. [1](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/) [2](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401909837/bulls-raptors)

## Reporting sources
1. [Reuters / Field Level Media: Raptors open season with romp past Bulls](https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/raptors-open-season-with-romp-past-bulls--flm-2026-10-22/) (2026-10-22)
2. [ESPN: Raptors 135-92 Bulls (Oct 21, 2026) Final Score](https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401909837/bulls-raptors) (2026-10-22)
3. [NBA.com: Chicago Bulls vs Toronto Raptors — Game Summary](https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-tor-0022600088) (2026-10-21)