Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Prediction: The Bulls and Magic are unexpectedly neighbors in the standings

The Bulls and Magic are unexpectedly neighbors in the standings: both teams are outside the top 10 of the Eastern Conference. Last season, Chicago beat Orlando twice at home - can the Bulls do it again?

The Bulls have lost five of their last six regular season games, dropping to 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Offensively, it's hard to say anything about the team's play, but the defense is off the charts. During the six-game stretch, Chicago shot very high from the paint (54.7 points) - only Oklahoma and Utah had more. Andre Drummond's return only worsened things, but the club does not have many options for the backup center position. There have already been rumors of a possible trade of Coby White, and the club appears to be looking for reinforcements. White has missed eight games in a row due to injury, and his participation is now in doubt. Patrick Williams may also not play, and there is still no word on when Lonzo Ball will recover.

The team lost their last regular-season game to visiting New Orleans (110:124). Demar Derozan was particularly good that night, scoring 28 points on 11-of-15 games. Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic were far less effective, while Chicago's scoring potential largely depends on them. The Bulls lacked tenacity, as they had only two steals. Alex Caruso had no steals but was the most helpful player on the bench with 13 points.

The leading contender for the best newcomer of the season, Paolo Banquero, has missed the last four games, but even in this situation, Orlando somehow manages to win. The Magic have won 2 of their last four games and are now in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. The defense has been a critical factor in Orlando's success, which is not surprising since Banquero is known to have problems on defense, and it's easier for the team without him in that regard.

Still, roster losses continue to haunt the Magic, and they're unlikely to move up in the standings. Banquero will miss another week; Wendell Carter Jr. dropped out the day before - his participation in the game with the Magic is questionable. With Moritz Wagner, Gary Harris, Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac, and Cole Anthony already on the injured reserve list, the burden on the offensive line rests with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Wagner is more stable, while Suggs only occasionally plays brilliantly.

For example, Suggs had 23 points against Minnesota, but Orlando still lost (108:126). The team constantly failed to get back on defense and allowed 30 fast breaks. After Carter's absence, Ball got more minutes, and he didn't disappoint: 26 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks.

The Bulls have had trouble defensively of late. Still, current Orlando is just the right opponent to deal with. Franz Wagner and Paolo Banquero are in the top 15 in the NBA by points in the paint, and the absence of the Italian is a big blow to the Magic's offense. Suggs is unstable, and the big men also have to shoot barely half of their three-pointers. Chicago has more reliable offensive options, and the Bulls have played decently in some games this season.

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