In the first game of another set of back to back scheduling the Chicago Bulls picked up there 2nd win in a row 100-92 over the Orlando Magic. The win got the Bulls back to .500 at 23-23 and bumped them up to the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference. The loss dropped Orlando to 18-29 on the season.
The Magic got off to a quick start scoring 8 of the games first 10 points. The Magic were able to hold onto the lead and even built it to eight points. The Bulls started to work there way back into the game and when Rajon Rondo hit a short jump shot with 1:31 left in the quarter the game was tied at 18 all. The Bulls took the lead 20-18 after Paul Zipser hit two free throws, but the Magic scored the final four points of the quarter to take a 22-20 lead after one.
Orlando took a five point lead right at the start of the quarter, but a 9 to 4 run by the Bulls made it a tie game at 29 all. The game was tied again at 32 all before Orlando took a short lived three point lead. When Cristiano Felicio scored with 6:46 left in the quarter it gave the Bulls there first lead in the quarter. The biggest lead the Bulls could build was seven points, but the Magic cut into that as they went into halftime down three points at 52-49.
With 9:27 Nikola Vucevic gave the Magic the lead back at 58-57. The teams traded the lead three times before they ended up tied at 63 all. The Bulls scored the next six points to build a lead. Orlando was able to cut the lead to one point on two different occasions before the Bulls ended the quarter by scoring the last four points to take a 78-73 lead after three quarters.
The Bulls built an 11 point lead as they started the quarter on a 12 to 6 run and it looked as they might cruise to a victory. With 4:03 left in the game the Bulls took there biggest lead at 96-84. The closest Orlando could get after that was six points. The Bulls got the last basket of the game to make it an eight point victory 100-92.
Dwayne Wade and Jimmy Butler where the only two Bulls starters to score in double figures. Wade had a game high 21 points while Butler scored 20 points and handed out a team high 4 assists. Off the Bulls bench Cristiano Felicio posted a double-double with 12 points and a game high 10 rebounds while Doug McDermott added 12 points going 4 of 6 from behind the 3-point line.
All five of the Magic starters scored in double figures led by Nikola Vucevic with 20 points. Serge Ibaka scored 16 points and grabbed a team high 8 rebounds. Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green each scored 13 points while Elfrid Payton added 10 points. C.J. Watson came off the Orlando bench to lead the team in assists with 6.
Since this was the first of a back to back for the Bulls they have to turn right around and play tonight at home against the 26-19 Atlanta Hawks. Orlando gets a couple of days off before they have to travel to Boston to face the 26-18 Celtics.
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