Paolo Banchero scored a team-high 24 points to lead the Orlando Magic to a 113-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Jalen Suggs scored 19 points for the Magic (46-32), with Markelle Fultz contributing 17 off the bench. Orlando’s Franz Wagner scored 16 points, and the team has won four of its last five games. Wendell Carter finished with 11 points.
Demar DeRozan led Chicago (37-41) with 30 points, and Javonte Green added 15. Ayo Dosunmu and Andre Drummond each scored 14 points for the Bulls, who have lost two of their last three games. Drummond also tallied a game-high ten rebounds. Coby White scored 11 points for Chicago.
Wagner’s 3 at 4:11 in the first quarter gave the Magic a 21-6 lead.
Fultz’s jumper with 20 seconds left pushed Orlando’s advantage to 31-12, the most of the first quarter. Drummond was able to cap the low-scoring first quarter on a high note for Chicago, beating the buzzer with a floater to cut the score to 31-14.
The Bulls started the second quarter on a 9-2 run, which was punctuated by DeRozan’s jumper with 8:58 remaining.
The Magic regained a 15-point lead when Banchero’s jumper made it 46-31 at the 4:02 mark.
Later, Suggs’ triple gave the Magic a 56-40 lead with 1:03 left, before Chicago ended the half with four straight points, cutting its halftime deficit to 56-44.
DeRozan led the Bulls with 12 points in the first half, and Wagner led the Magic with 13 points and four rebounds.
After Chicago cut Orlando’s lead to ten with 4:05 left in the third, the Magic went on a 13-2 scoring spree, capped by Joe Ingles’ step back triple, giving his club an 89-68 lead with 1:13 remaining.
The Magic led 89-72 entering the fourth quarter, but DeRozan sparked an 18-7 Chicago rally, with his 3-pointer cutting Orlando’s lead to six with 6:49 remaining.
From there, Banchero’s mid-range shot and another Ingles triple on consecutive possessions sparked a 12-1 Orlando run that helped them jump ahead for good.
The stretch was stamped with Carter’s 3-pointer, giving the Magic a commanding 108-91 lead with 3:17 left.
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Bulls’ Coby White and Alex Caruso receive final injury updates vs. Magic
The Chicago Bulls are preparing for a key interconference game against the Orlando Magic. Chicago wants to stay in the Play-In picture, but it can’t do so without Coby White and Alex Caruso. The two guards received critical injury updates ahead of Sunday’s game.
Bulls guards receive critical injury information for the Magic matchup.
White (left ankle sprain) and Caruso (left ankle contusion) were originally listed as questionable for the Magic game. However, Caruso has now been ruled out, with Javonte Green taking his place in the starting lineup. Fortunately, White is a go for Chicago.
Coby White injured his ankle early in Chicago’s April 5th game against the New York Knicks. He just scored two points in 14 minutes, but he has been critical to the Bulls’ late-season success.
White averages a career-high 19.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. In Zach LaVine’s absence, the 24-year-old has increased his scoring significantly, and the Bulls rely on his offensive prowess to succeed.
Chicago also requires a wise defensive leader to be successful, and there is one man who regularly rises to the challenge. Alex Caruso brings heart and drive to the Bulls’ lineup. Caruso, known for his outstanding defensive leadership, intelligence, and serviceable offense, is the ultimate difference maker. The seventh-year guard averages a career-high 10.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.6 steals.
Caruso, like White, injured his ankle during the 108-100 win over the Knicks. If he wants to continue playing hounding defense, he’ll need to keep his ankle firm and ready.
Orlando’s 2023-24 season has been excellent, but the Bulls are not fooled. The Magic have a 45-32 record and are fourth in the Eastern Conference. In comparison, Chicago is 37-40, one win ahead of the Atlanta Hawks for ninth place.
The Bulls will need to keep an eye on several Orlando players on Sunday, beginning with second-year forward Paolo Banchero. Banchero leads the squad with an average of 22.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game. He is an offensive force who creates opportunities for his teammates.
Chicago must play him hard, but they must also consider his partner-in-crime Franz Wagner, who averages 19.7 points per game. Wagner’s 28-point performance in Orlando’s 119-109 victory over the Washington Wizards on March 5th demonstrates his ability to go off at any time.
Fortunately, the Bulls have a dependable tool to battle Wagner and Banchero.
DeMar DeRozan hopes to lead the way for Chicago on Sunday. He comes off a strong 20-point, 10-rebound performance against the Knicks. DeRozan will continue to be a force on the court for the Bulls.
If Chicago can get adequate production from its role players while also putting forth a great team defensive effort, the team has a chance to win another game and secure its spot in the Play-In. The answer to the question of whether Coby White and Alex Caruso will play tonight is yes and no, respectively.
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