2024-2025 Regular Season Game 20: Chicago Bulls (8-11) at Orlando Magic (12-7) - 7pm

[drsd]

Great game, strange box score.

Box-score thoughts:
Orlando LOST the FG% battle and WON the game. How?
Well it wasn't FGAs/FGMs, or any aspect of eFG%, etc. Both teams were basically the same.

It was how the Magic used TO- differential (minus 7) to get more FTs (+12 in FTAs).

And the Magic but not the Bulls were focused at the charity stripe (92.9% vs. 68.8%).

Orlando's dominance at getting to the line, focus on not fouling Chicago, and brilliance at making FTs led to a whopping +15 in FTMs.
And that was the game. Literally. The Magic won by 14, so those 15 free points was the literal difference for a W!

[Jiwol]

Congrats to Jalen on his career best but he gave me the best time (and laugh) during the Franz' jump ball when he tickled Horton-Tucker while fighting for a position. Has anyone else noticed that?

[doct3r dr3]

short gamethread...

[Optimus_Steel]

Well we did see that video of him getting mad and slapping the chair wheb he sat down

Allegedly, that was because he lost his footing to cause the jumpball.

I thought it was because he sat down after getting injured stepping on the foot

Whatever it was hope he is ok. But damm it ballboys you guys failed. Be better. Mo falls to the deck and they don’t wipe that side?

[Skybox]

So Goga’s man-sized rejection of Zach at the rim didn’t make NBA top 10 plays

Cmon…quarter ending heave by FVV? Uncontested jam by Jalen Green? No respect- except from Zach who gave smiling Goga his props.

Goga seems like a kid who’s also checking this morning sorry buddy

[Optimus_Steel]

Seems to me that Lavine is scared of Suggs and Magic defense.

[3ddman23]

Good win. Didn't watch the game live cause I was at the UCF basketball game. But it seems they did what they had to do and beat a team they should beat. The next 5 games are all winnable. If they can some how to atleast 3-2 in the next 5, they are looking in good shape. Go magic

[eyriq]

Suggs/KCP/Franz/WCJ/Goga was +12 across their two stints to start the 1st and 3rd. Good sign. If they can sustain this it will be good to get a starting lineup that gives us an edge.

The rotation was interesting. JI/AB in for WCJ/Suggs, then Moe/TDS/Suggs in for Goga/Franz/KCP.

Really clean 9 man rotation.

[Bergmaniac]

Great to see KCP finally getting hot from 3, hopefully it won't be a one-off. Suggs shooting very well was also a very welcome sight.

Nice win in the end, the Bulls are pretty bad and seem alergic to defence, but we took care of business in an impressive way for the most part. Isaac after a bit of a subpar defensively is back to being dominant on this end and is on his longest stretch of games without having to miss time for injury issues since his first major injury. He is becoming a bit of a black hole on offense though, seems like he lets it fly every time he gets the ball.

[cedric76]

Wcj on giddey was a clever move by our coaching

[meatwad4343]

Not having Cole and fultz in the rotation this year has been a huge addition by subtraction

[meatwad4343]

Good win. Didn't watch the game live cause I was at the UCF basketball game. But it seems they did what they had to do and beat a team they should beat. The next 5 games are all winnable. If they can some how to atleast 3-2 in the next 5, they are looking in good shape. Go magic

Nets just lost cam Thomas for the next month, we should easily win both of those games coming up against them

[Knightro]

Good win. Didn't watch the game live cause I was at the UCF basketball game. But it seems they did what they had to do and beat a team they should beat. The next 5 games are all winnable. If they can some how to atleast 3-2 in the next 5, they are looking in good shape. Go magic

Nets just lost cam Thomas for the next month, we should easily win both of those games coming up against them

They’re probably better without him.

[three3d]

There was some really good ball movement last night by guys without the ball, the offense flows and looks so much better when guys are moving and cutting. Looked like they were running some pinch post action and utilized screens and cuts at the top of the free throw line. Keep working on that and develop it cause it will be deadly when P5 comes back.

[three3d]

Having Paolo and Franz set up on opposite sides of the court at the elbow ‘s with a big man at the free throw line allowing Suggs and KCP to run picks and screens with both Paolo and Franz how do you stop that?

[three3d]

https://youtu.be/3joEDZ9vYA8?si=loYj5BxdXECyz6e-

Ignore the Bulls broadcasters lol but just watch this Magic offense and the movement of the ball and players. This looks totally different, hopefully they keep this up and the offense continues to evolve.

[T-Cat]

Not having Cole and fultz in the rotation this year has been a huge addition by subtraction

You would not be saying that if Fultz was healthy!

[drsd]

Not having Cole and fultz in the rotation this year has been a huge addition by subtraction

You would not be saying that if Fultz was healthy!

[Knightro]

There was some really good ball movement last night by guys without the ball, the offense flows and looks so much better when guys are moving and cutting. Looked like they were running some pinch post action and utilized screens and cuts at the top of the free throw line. Keep working on that and develop it cause it will be deadly when P5 comes back.

Caliber of defensive opponent is a big factor.

As is the rest advantage.

[Audi]

Congrats to Jalen on his career best but he gave me the best time (and laugh) during the Franz' jump ball when he tickled Horton-Tucker while fighting for a position. Has anyone else noticed that?

This is golden - anyone find a recording of this anywhere?