Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls (Jan. 3, 2022): 3 Things To Watch, Odds and Prediction
The Orlando Magic are picking up the pieces after a disappointing overtime loss Sunday against the Boston Celtics. They get their chance against the East-leading Chicago Bulls.
Orlando Magic (7-30) at Chicago Bulls (24-10)
Time/TV: 8 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Bulls by 14
Tickets: $40-$417 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Bulls 123, Magic 88 in Orlando on Nov. 23; Tonight in Chicago; Jan. 23 in Orlando; Feb. 1 in Chicago
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 98.6 | 103.1 | 112.9 | 49.4 | 26.8 | 15.1 | 22.6 |
| Chicago | 99.1 | 112.0 | 108.2 | 54.0 | 24.2 | 13.3 | 24.1 |
OMD Prediction
Bad losses are the way of life for rebuilding teams. They lose a lot and they take some losses that can be dispiriting as much as anything. How these teams stick to the process and keep grinding even in the face of these results is the whole thing of a rebuild. They have to see that light at the end of the tunnel. After a loss like Sunday’s, the light has never looked dimmer for the Orlando Magic.
The road does not get easier for Orlando. This back-to-back against the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls will be a really tough way for this team to recover. This would have been a schedule loss even before the Bulls’ strong start to the season. It will be a test of the team’s togetherness and commitment to the process. This game will be as important as any other, even if the Magic end up losing.
The Bulls are on a roll right now. DeMar DeRozan has back-to-back game-winning baskets and the vibes in Chicago are really strong. The Bulls are a strong defensive team that pounces on turnovers, as the Magic learned in the first meeting.
101. 38. 112. 24. Prediction
3 Keys To Watch
Trust the process
Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has sung praise for his team for their togetherness and their willingness to fight and play together. You can see it on the bench with the way injured players and players on the bench stand up and cheer for every big moment and hype each other up. This group is really tied together.
Even through some blowout losses, that can be easy to do. The Magic have a belief in what they are trying to accomplish and that they are on the right path. They can see all the positive signs of their progress and all the pieces that can get put together.
Losses like Sunday’s overtime defeat to the Boston Celtics can be major roadblocks. Suddenly it does not look like the process can work. It can make teams question the road they are on and the work they have put in. How the Magic approach and play this game will be far more important than the result. The team has to stick together more after a loss like that.
Mr. 4th Quarter
DeMar DeRozan’s heroics in the last two outings are certainly for the highlights. The Chicago Bulls have some immaculate vibes right now and they are feeling the confidence a team with the best record in the Eastern Conference at the season’s midpoint should feel.
This stuff from DeRozan is not new though. DeRozan has been the league’s best fourth-quarter scorer this season. He is averaging 8.0 points per game in the fourth quarter, the most in the league. In clutch situations, DeRozan scores 3.9 points per game in clutch situations, 10th in the entire league.
For some reference, Cole Anthony is fifth in the league with 7.0 points per game in the fourth quarter. He shoots 53.1-percent in the final quarter. But Anthony is out tonight still with a sprained ankle.
Turnover Improvement
When the Orlando Magic played the Chicago Bulls in late November, they took a big run in the second quarter that buried the team. Then the third quarter came and the Bulls buried the Magic in a huge deficit. Turnovers were the story in that game. Orlando committed 15 turnovers for 22 points.
The Magic have had some turnover issues throughout the season. They rank 23rd in the league with a 15.1-percent turnover rate. Opponents score 16.1 points off turnovers per game against them, 17th in the league. The Magic’s worst losses have come when they turn the ball over too much.
And the Bulls are very good at forcing turnovers. Chicago forces a turnover rate of 14.8-percent (ninth in the league) and they are fifth in the league with 18.6 points off turnovers per game. It is a big part of their attack.
Orlando has been better with turnovers lately. The Magic have a turnover rate of 14.3-percent in their last 10 games, which is 18th in the league. It is a point Orlando has made lately. The Magic are doing a better job protecting the ball and valuing their possessions.
Next. 5 New Years Resolutions for the Orlando Magic. dark
That will be key to this team in this game.