CHICAGO -- Let's take a quick look at how the Chicago Bulls cruised to a 111-91 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night at the United Center.

How it happened: Luol Deng had 24 points, Derrick Rose had 19 and Carlos Boozer added 12 points and 13 rebounds. That much you expected. What you probably didn't expect was Taj Gibson going off for 16 points and 14 rebounds, proving once again how valuable he is to this team. When Gibson plays like that, even without Joakim Noah in the lineup, the Bulls have extra firepower in the frontcourt which gives them a major advantage over most teams, especially bad ones like the Raptors.

What it means: It only took about three weeks, but the Bulls finally closed out a bad team at the end of the game. The Bulls had control of this contest throughout the night and played with the kind of consistent energy Tom Thibodeau has been searching for. The better news for the first-year head coach is that his bench played one of its more complete games of the year. Aside from Gibson's performance, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik combined for 25 points.

Stat of the night: The Bulls outscored the Raptors 58-38 in the paint.

What's next: The Bulls head to New Jersey right after the game to face off against the Nets on Wednesday night. It's the second of a four-games-in-five-nights stretch, so expect Thibodeau to watch his players' minutes closely.