The Orlando Magic are back on the road after a successful homestand as they take on the struggling Chicago Bulls with plenty to build on moving forward.
Orlando Magic (11-40) at Chicago Bulls (31-18)
Time/TV: 8 p.m./Bally Sports Florida
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Line via WynnBet: Bulls by 8.5
Tickets: $15-$314 on StubHub
2022 Season Series: Bulls 123, Magic 88 in Orlando on Nov. 26; Bulls 102, Magic 98 in Chicago on Jan. 3; Magic 114, Bulls 95 in Orlando on Jan. 23; Tonight in Chicago
| Pace | Off. Rtg. | Def. Rtg. | eFG% | O.Reb.% | TO% | FTR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando | 98.8 | 103.6 | 111.5 | 49.9 | 26.0 | 15.0 | 22.7 |
| Chicago | 98.9 | 112.2 | 110.4 | 54.2 | 24.5 | 13.3 | 23.9 |
OMD Prediction
The Orlando Magic have had their first positive stretch of the season. For an 11-40 team, a 3-2 homestand feels big. It feels like the team has turned a corner and is ready to compete more regularly. Maybe the wins will become more frequent.
The trick is gaining consistency and starting to bring that on the road. That will be the next challenge for this young Magic team. Orlando is no longer a “bad” team. So some of the more egregious mistakes should be in the past. This is merely a “young” team that will make mistakes just from lack of experience or perhaps overeagerness.
The matchup with the Chicago Bulls is always a good measuring stick. The Bulls have All-Star who can beat set defenses in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. And they likely remember last week’s loss in Orlando — a route that included some jawing between the teams and even with some Bulls fans in attendance.
The Bulls are still a really good team and will still test the Magic’s improving defense.
3 Keys To Watch
Offense at home
The Orlando Magic’s defense in January was really good — eighth at 107.8 points allowed per 100 possessions. So how did Orlando go only 4-11 over those 15 games? The Magic’s offense remains the biggest issue the team faces.
Orlando was 29th in the league in offensive rating in January with a 104.5 offensive rating. It has been a continued issue for the team and the biggest thing holding them back. You need to score to win in this league.
But the Magic’s homestand provided some intriguing and surprising relief. Orlando’s defense during the homestand stood at 105.8 points per 100 possessions. A really good number.
The offense though was a big reason the team experienced success. The Magic scored 109.1 points per 100 possessions. That is still 21st in the league among teams’ last five games. But for a team that struggles to crack 110 points per 100 possessions, that is a pretty significant jump.
And with a defense playing as well as the Magic’s defense is playing right now, all they need is a halfway decent offense to compete and give themselves the chance to win.
Bulls back to earth
The Chicago Bulls are still tied for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. But their grip on the top spot is loosening. The injuries to Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso have gutted the team’s defense a bit and left the team trying to find an identity. Nikola Vucevic has been wildly inconsistent as a scorer, even as he helps the team in other ways.
The Orlando Magic’s win last week at the Amway Center was just the tip of the iceberg for some of the Chicago Bulls’ problems.
The Bulls have a 117.3 defensive rating in the five games since Alex Caruso’s injury, which started with the loss to the Magic. It is not good for a team that built its surprising start based on its defense and how well the team seemed tethered together.
The Bulls still won three of those five games. So things are not quite a disaster yet. It is not just about Caruso. Getting Zach LaVine back has given the team a huge offensive boost. And the Bulls are still very capable of outscoring teams when they need to.
Rising Stars
The NBA will announce the rosters for the Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend tonight (7 p.m. on TNT). The Orlando Magic are expected to have plenty of representation there.
Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner will almost certainly be heading to Cleveland to represent the team. Jalen Suggs, thanks to his strong run since returning from injury, also should get the nod. It is an exciting time for the Magic. And the possibility of all three players ending up on different teams to face off against each other creates some fun storylines.
But Anthony, Wagner and Suggs have all been very good and deserving of the accolades.
Wagner especially has been exceptional. He was nominated for the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award won by Joel Embiid after averaging 21.0 points per game as the Magic took two of three in the last week. And the Magic probably should have won the third.
The Magic are hoping to see some of these young players graduate from Friday to Sunday in the near future. But the Magic can clearly point to a bright future as all three of these young players have been at the heart of the team’s winning streak of late.