Let’s get back in the win column.
Broadcast Info
Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic (6:00 CT) on NBC Sports Chicago, 670 The Score (Audio)
Chicago Bulls
Projected Starters:
1. Coby White
2. Zach LaVine
3. Patrick Williams
4. Lauri Markkanen
5. Daniel Gafford
Injury Report: Otto Porter OUT (back), Wendell Carter Jr. OUT (quad)
Orlando Magic
Projected Starters:
1. Cole Anthony
2. Evan Fournier
3. James Ennis
4. Gary Clark
5. Nikola Vucevic
Injury Report: Aaron Gordon OUT (ankle), Markelle Fultz OUT (ACL), Michael Carter-Williams OUT (foot), Jonathan Isaac OUT (knee) Al-Farouq Aminu OUT (injury recovery)
Odds
The Bulls -2.5 point favorites for tonight’s matchup against the Knicks, according to the DraftKings Illinois Sportsbook (-112) and the FanDuel Illinois Sportsbook (-138), and the PointsBet Illinois Sportsbook (-120).
You can sign up for each of those books below, and get yourself a nice deposit bonus in the process (PointsBet could be the way to go tonight, folks).
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What to Watch For
• Can the Bulls please get off to a fast start? Over the last two games, head coach Billy Donovan has been forced to call a timeout less than two minutes into the game. Thaddeus Young said it best himself after Wednesday night’s loss to the Knicks: “We’re not a team that can just flip the switch on.”
Thad Young on #Bulls' loss to Knicks: "We tried to essentially win the game in the last 12 minutes. We can't do that. We're not a team that can just flip the switch on. The light has to be on at all times."
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) February 4, 2021
• Who the hell is going to stop Nikola Vucevic? Daniel Gafford and Lauri Markkanen were repeatedly owned on Wednesday night by Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Fortunately, with Aaron Gordon out, the Magic’s backcourt isn’t as scary, but Vucevic will certainly pose a wide range of problems. He isn’t afraid to pop a shot off from anywhere on the court, and he is also the league’s 8th-best rebounder as of today. Unless the Bulls try to throw the spry and athletic Patrick Williams in his face at times, I’m not sure how they expect to stop him, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bulls gameplan is to focus more heavily on stopping the supporting cast.
• Markkanen went from two 30-point games to a 9-point game. Can he bounceback tonight?
• Despite splitting their series against the Knicks, the Bulls managed to post a season-low in turnovers in back-to-back games. Heading into those matchups the Knicks D was ranked 8th in the league too, so that mark isn’t too shabby. The question now is whether or not they can continue that trend against the Magic’s inferior 22nd-ranked defense?
Get Caught Up …
Otto Porter “Shut Down” From Basketball Activity Until At Least Next Weekhttps://t.co/BAlUIT2gbn
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 5, 2021
Pat brought out the 90s retro tee 🥶 pic.twitter.com/sWF0Ic3TBs
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 5, 2021
Valentine Deserves to Play Over Hutchison, But at What Cost?https://t.co/1RvsKRSeGo
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 5, 2021