LDN - Sports

Bulls tighten up defensively, breeze past Magic

[November 08, 2016] CHICAGO -- Midway through the first quarter, there was a timeout that ultimately went a long way in leading the Chicago Bulls to a 112-80 victory against the Orlando Magic on Monday night at the United Center.

The Magic led 20-16 after hitting 10 of their first 12 shots, but coach Frank Vogel made a prophetic statement during that timeout break.

"It was like an All-Star game to start the game," Vogel said. "We said in the timeout, 'Whoever decides to start playing defense is going to win the game,' and (the Bulls) started playing. We didn't start playing defense."

Chicago outscored Orlando 17-8 the rest of that quarter and never trailed again, ending a three-game losing streak that included a lethargic 111-94 loss at the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

Using a 15-0 run to close out the first quarter with a 37-24 lead, the Bulls led 61-52 at halftime and blew the game open in the third by outscoring the Magic 27-11.

Chicago also focused on defense during that first-quarter timeout.

"You saw it in the last three games with us not playing defense, what happens when we don't do that," said Jimmy Butler, who led all scorers with 20 points. "I think everybody just said, 'We don't want to keep this streak going. Start getting some stops. We're scoring the ball, which is fine, but let's get some stops.'"

Butler led the charge. He had nine points and three steals in the decisive third finished with seven assists, four steals and five rebounds to go with his scoring.

Two other Bulls starters reached double-figure scoring, as well. Taj Gibson had a double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds), and Dwyane Wade had 16 points after posting just four in the loss to the Pacers.

Doug McDermott (11 points) and Isaiah Canaan (10 points) added solid games off the bench.

"Jimmy was phenomenal early," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "You could just see the energy he was out there playing with. He made some good plays and we cleared some things out for him and just let him go to work and make plays. He did a good job with it."

Aaron Gordon (15 points), Evan Fournier (13 points) and Nikola Vucevic (11 points) led Orlando, which had beaten three straight teams that didn't make the playoffs last season. The Bulls didn't make it either, but the Magic just couldn't keep pace.

"We turned the ball over too much and they made all the hustle plays," said Vogel, whose team committed 14 turnovers to just eight for the Bulls. "If you're going to win on the road, you've got to make all the hustle plays and you've got to take care of the basketball."

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Magic forward Aaron Gordon (00) is defended by Chicago Bulls forward Bobby Portis (5) during the second half of the game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Each team got off to a torrid start, but the Bulls' big surge over the final four minutes paved the way to a win. During their 15-0 run to close out the first, Canaan had five points, Wade added four, Butler converted a three-point play and Nikola Mirotic (six points) drilled a long 3-pointer just before the buzzer.

It became a 17-0 run to start the second, before the Magic responded with their first basket in a 5:50 span. Orlando cut the lead to single digits in the second and came as close as 63-58 early in the third, but the Bulls outscored the Magic 25-5 in the final 10 minutes of the quarter.

"The big message at halftime was to be the aggressor going out in the (third) quarter," Hoiberg said. "I thought our guys responded to that. They cut it to five, and then we got it going again and held them to 11 in that quarter. That's the defensive mindset we have to have for the entire game."

NOTES: Magic C Nikola Vucevic started Monday despite being listed as questionable due to a right shoulder strain. ... Orlando G Jodie Meeks missed his seventh game with a fractured fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. Meeks, who is listed day-to-day, has been out since Oct. 26. ... Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg went into the game with the intent of playing F Bobby Portis more. Portis scored 16 points in Chicago's 111-94 loss Saturday at the Indiana Pacers. "I thought Bobby was one of the bright spots in our game the other night," Hoiberg said. "He brought the energy." ... Hoiberg said G Dwyane Wade would not sit out Wednesday at the Atlanta Hawks to rest up for his first trip back to Miami on Thursday to play the Heat. ... Bulls reserve PG Michael Carter-Williams missed his fourth game because of a left knee bone bruise and left wrist sprain.

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