Magic hand slumping Bulls fourth straight loss
 

February 14, 2023]  Paolo Banchero scored 22 points and Markelle Fultz and Franz Wagner added 18 points apiece to help the visiting Orlando Magic defeat the slumping Chicago Bulls 100-91 on Monday night.

Chicago matched a season high with its fourth straight defeat despite a game-high 26 points from Zach LaVine. Orlando led by as many as 13 points and was ahead throughout the final three quarters.

The Bulls drew to within five on a DeMar DeRozan layup with 3:34 to go, but the Magic responded by scoring nine of the game's final 14 points.

Fultz narrowly missed a triple-double, contributing 10 rebounds and nine assists. Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and seven boards for the Magic.

DeRozan followed LaVine with 19 points. Nikola Vucevic grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to go with 13 points, stretching his streak of consecutive double-doubles to nine games, the longest active stretch in the NBA.

Coby White chipped in 12 points for the Bulls.

Orlando won the season series 2-1 while avenging a 19-point home loss on Jan. 28.

Chicago entered with a sputtering offense that was unable to get back on track against the Magic.

After scoring 283 points in their past three games before Monday -- their fewest in a three-game span under coach Billy Donovan -- the Bulls recorded no greater than 24 points in a quarter against the Magic. Their low was a 21-point first quarter.

Feb 13, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan walks off the court after an NBA game against the Orlando Magic at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Woeful 3-point shooting again proved costly for the Bulls, who finished 3-for-21 from beyond the arc. Chicago missed its first 16 attempts from deep in the game before White connected with 1:38 to play in the third quarter to draw the hosts to within 73-66.

Alex Caruso missed the game for the Bulls after re-aggravating a left-foot injury during Saturday's loss in Cleveland. Derrick Jones Jr. left the contest with an adductor strain and did not return.

Orlando shot 46.9 percent from the floor compared to 40.7 percent for Chicago.

The Magic and Bulls have split their past six meetings.

--Field Level Media

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