Banchero, Wagner, Fultz lead Magic over Bulls 100-91
CHICAGO (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 22 points, Franz Wagner and Markelle Fultz added 18 points apiece and the Orlando Magic beat the cold-shooting Chicago Bulls 100-91 on Monday night.
Fultz just missed a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 15 points against his former team as the Magic won for the fourth time in six games.
Coming off an overtime loss at home to Miami, Orlando led by 13 midway through the fourth and hung on after Chicago got within five.
The Bulls matched a season high by dropping their fourth in a row, thanks to another horrendous shooting performance. They missed their first 16 3-pointers before Coby White hit one late in the third and 18 of 21 in all. Chicago is 26 of 125 from long range over its past five games.
Zach LaVine led Chicago with 26 points, and DeMar DeRozan scored 19. Former Magic star Nikola Vucevic finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Orlando led 89-76 after Banchero hit a 12-footer with just over five minutes remaining. DeRozan cut for a layup to pull Chicago within 91-86 with 3:34 left. But Carter answered with a three-point play and the Magic remained in control the rest of the way.
Orlando took control early in the third, when 3-pointers by Gary Harris Jr. and Wagner made it 60-50.
The Bulls' next three possessions ended with Patrick Williams missing badly on a tip-in, Ayo Dosunmu getting blocked by Fultz on a fast-break layup and LaVine getting called for traveling. DeRozan then made a turnaround jumper. But Wagner nailed a 3 and Carter scored, making it 65-52 midway through the third.
It was 73-63 with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter when White hit the first 3 for Chicago. A reverse layup by Dalen Terry pulled Chicago within five. Orlando's Moritz Wagner hit a 3 to make it 76-68 with 30 seconds remaining in the quarter.
TIP-INS
Magic: The Magic signed C Goga Bitadze on Monday. Drafted by Indiana with the No. 18 overall pick in 2019, Bitadze averaged 4.8 points over four seasons before getting released by the Pacers last week. ... G Cole Anthony (sore right wrist) missed the game. ... The Magic have made at least one 3-pointer in 1,269 consecutive games, the fifth-longest active streak in the NBA and the fifth-longest in league history.
Bulls: F Derrick Jones Jr. (strained left adductor) left the game. ... G Alex Caruso (sore left foot) sat out for the third time in six games.
UP NEXT
Magic: Visit Toronto on Tuesday.
Bulls: Visit Indiana on Wednesday.
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