The Toronto Raptors' Chris Bosh, right, tries to shoot over the Chicago Bulls' Tyrus Thomas during the first quarter of Wednesday's game. (Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press)

If the Toronto Raptors had produced efforts like this all season, they'd be preparing for the playoffs instead of getting ready to clean out their lockers.

The Raptors showed signs that they could be a competitive basketball team in a 109-98 thrashing of the hometown Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. It was the third straight win for the Raptors.

"We've been playing fantastic for the past two weeks," Chris Bosh said after the game.

"I mean, we have a positive thing to build on now. We were competing at a high level; that says something about our character as players."

Despite the win, Toronto finished the season with a 33-49 record, close to the basement of the Eastern Conference, and nowhere near the playoff hunt.

Bosh led the Raptors on Wednesday with 21 points and 19 rebounds. He was especially motivated on the glass, since he needed 18 rebounds to bring his average up to more than 10 per game on the season.

Shawn Marion had his best game as a Raptor, leading all scorers with 34 points and adding 11 rebounds.

"We just wanted to go out on a good note," Marion said. Bosh added: "We wanted to give our best effort for the last game of the year."

Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 23 points.

"It is disappointing," Gordon said. "We had lacklustre energy."

Chicago (41-41) came in to the night on a five-game winning streak, trying to move up in the standings in order to avoid a potential first-round matchup against the defending champion Boston Celtics. But Chicago's loss combined with a win by the Philadelphia 76ers means the Bulls will finish seventh, securing a date with the Celtics.

The Bulls had no answer for the Raptors inside the paint, as Toronto outrebounded Chicago 57-40. That led to several second- and third-chance opportunities, and with the Raptors shooting 46 per cent on the night, it helped them build and hold the lead for the entire game.

The Raptors, who have struggled all season with horrid starts to games, came out with plenty of energy and jumped out to an early lead. They led by as many as 20 points in the second quarter, and took a 61-49 lead into the locker-room at halftime.

Andrea Bargnani sat out his second straight game with a sore left heel; Patrick O'Bryant started in his place. He responded with a strong effort, scoring 9 points and picking up 7 rebounds.

While the Bulls are looking towards the playoffs, the Raptors will be answering questions about what the team will look like next season.

Who will coach the team remains a mystery, as it's unclear whether Jay Triano will be back in the head coaching role. But the team's franchise player is giving him a vote of confidence.

"There are a lot of things that need to be addressed, [but] I think Jay Triano did a fantastic job," Bosh said.

Triano indicated that he wants to return, although he's not sure when he'll meet with GM Bryan Colangelo. "He's not around for the rest of this week, through the weekend, so we'll play it by ear," Triano said. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be around. He'll take his time."

With files from The Canadian Press