With just a week remaining in the regular season, the Orlando Magic still have a chance to finish anywhere between second and eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Paolo Banchero scored 24 points and Jalen Suggs added 19 as the Magic continued their push for the playoffs with a 113-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night.
The win moved the Magic (46-32) into a tie for third place in the East after completing a four-game sweep of the Bulls. They’re now one game behind second-place Milwaukee, tied with New York, and half a game ahead of Cleveland. They’re also one and a half games ahead of sixth-place Indiana, two and a half ahead of Philadelphia, and three ahead of Miami.
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley emphasized the importance of focusing on their capabilities in the final four games of the season. The Magic have two more games left against the struggling Bucks.
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 30 points, while Javonte Green, starting for the first time this season, contributed 15 points and eight rebounds.
Despite shooting over 50% from the field, the Bulls struggled from beyond the arc and committed 21 turnovers. With only four games remaining, the Bulls (37-41) cannot improve their position but are still playing for home-court advantage in the play-in game against Atlanta.
Green, who had a career-high 25 points in their previous game, made a significant impact offensively for the Bulls.
Magic forward Franz Wagner left the game in the third quarter due to a sprained ankle, while Jonathan Isaac played limited minutes in the first half due to a sore back. Alex Caruso also had ankle and toe issues after playing extensive minutes in their previous game.
The Bulls fell behind by 19 points in the first quarter and were unable to catch up, despite DeRozan’s efforts to keep them in the game. The Magic maintained their lead throughout the game, withstanding a late surge by the Bulls to secure the victory.
