Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls Prediction & Match Preview - January 3rd, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
![The Chicago Bulls will host the Orlando Magic on January 3rd [Source: NBS Bangla]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/01/c8186-16411956403072-1920.jpg?w=500)
The Orlando Magic will continue their road trip as they travel from Boston to the Windy City to face off against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on January 3rd.
The Orlando Magic are coming off a close 111-116 loss to the Boston Celtics. Making it their fifth loss in a row, the Magic find themselves in contention for one of the worst records in the league at 7-30.
The Chicago Bulls, on the other hand, witnessed a series of thriller wins to end last year and to start the new year. Coming off another tight 120-119 win against the Washington Wizards, the Bulls have improved to 24-10.
Match Details
Fixture - Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Monday, January 3rd, 2022; 8:00 PM ET (Tuesday, January 4th, 2022; 6:30 PM IST.)
Venue - United Center, Chicago, IL.
Orlando Magic Preview
The Orlando Magic continue to struggle with breaking out of their slump. They sit one spot above being the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference, the Magic have the second poorest record in the league at this point in the season.
The game against the Boston Celtics saw an impressive effort from the team. With Terrence Ross and Gary Harris carrying the scoring load, the Magic pushed the Celtics to OT, where they would finally come up short against Jaylen Brown's 50-point night.
Gary Harris & Terrence Ross combined tonight:
56 PTS
57% FG
7 STL https://t.co/Am2tfjBOFs
The issues, however, have to do with injuries. A majority of Orlando's primary rotation has been sidelined due to injury or health and safety protocols. With key players such as Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs out for extended periods of time, the young Magic team has had to rely on the few remaining players and players on 10-day contracts.
Due to their situation, there is a distinct lack of cohesiveness in the team. While also factoring in the aspect of them being a team in rebuild mode, there is little that can be done to make them competitive.
Key Player - Franz Wagner
Franz Wagner will be a player for the Orlando Magic in this game against the Chicago Bulls.
Wagner is coming off a fairly mediocre scoring night against the Boston Celtics. However, the German was a bright spark for Orlando in the previous game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Recording 38 points on the night, Wagner displayed an arsenal of moves that displayed his polished skillset.
Franz Wagner tonight:
38 Points
7 Rebounds
3 Assists
63% FG
4/7 3PM
10/10 FTM
Career-high for the rookie. 🔥🔥 https://t.co/bsi931cbiK
At his size, Franz Wagner is a great shooter from beyond the arc and shows a comfortable handle on the ball. A prototype of the modern forward, Wagner is a key part of Orlando's talented young core.
Heading into this game against Chicago, Wagner will have to make use of his size while taking advantage of Chicago's absence of big men in the lineup. Exploiting mismatches will be key to establishing himself as a solid scoring option.
Orlando Magic Predicted Lineup
G - Hassani Gravett | G - Gary Harris | F - Franz Wagner | F - Wendell Carter Jr. | C - Mo Bamba
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls seem to have found a spark as they head into the new year. Having picked up a scinilating win to start 2022. The Bulls have been nothing short of spectacular and already look like the in-form team as we arrive to the midway point of the season.
DEMAR DEROZAN CALLS GAME FOR THE 2ND NIGHT IN A ROW 🔥 https://t.co/gCB52NPJ2G
Coming off yet another buzzer-beater delivered by DeMar DeRozan, the Chicago Bulls managed to fend off the Washington Wizards to kickoff the New Year with a win. They are now on a seven-game winning streak, barring games that were postponed, the Bulls have all the momentum as they head into this game against the Magic.
Although the Chicago Bulls will be without Javonte Green for this game, there is good news for Bulls fans. Lonzo Ball has been taken off the injury report for Monday.
Key Player - Zach LaVine
Heading into this game the Chicago Bulls will look to Zach LaVine to be their key player in their encounter with the Orlando Magic.
LaVine also made his return from health and safety protocols recently and continued to put his streaky scoring ability on display. LaVine's athleticism is perfectly paired with his tremendous scoring instincts.
ZACH LAVINE IS MERCILESS 🔥 https://t.co/byeYnKRSJj
As a solid three-point shooter, LaVine's ability to contribute to Chicago's offense in dynamic ways is immense. On the back of some clutch outings by DeRozan, LaVine is bound to go off for a big night eventually as well.
While also considering the poor defensive quality of the Orlando Magic, they sit in the bottom five of the league with a defensive rating of 113.2 this season. Together with the potential return of dime-dishing point guard Lonzo Ball, LaVine looks set to have a field day.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
G - Lonzo Ball | G - Zach LaVine | F - DeMar DeRozan | F - Derrick Jones Jr. | C - Nikola Vucevic
Magic vs Bulls Match Predictions
The Chicago Bulls should emerge as winners in the match against the Orlando Magic.
On paper the Bulls have all the necessary advantages to win, including playing at home. The Orlando Magic's severely depleted roster does them no favors in this scenario. While they will enjoy Mo Bamba's return, Brook Lopez falling out of the rotation due to illness will leave them shorthanded regardless.
Meanwhile, the Bulls are likely to enjoy a boost in ball movement and defensive proficiency should Lonzo Ball play. Overall, the Chicago Bulls are strongly favored to win this game.
Where to watch Magic vs Bulls game?
The Orlando Magic vs. the Chicago Bulls will be locally broadcast on NBA Sports Chicago. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game by tuning into 670 The Score and TUDN 1200 AM.