NEWSLETTER
Please, just win.
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. Garrett Temple
4. Patrick Williams
5. Daniel Gafford
Injury Report: Thaddeus Young PROBABLE (back), Lauri Markkanen OUT (shoulder), 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 -1.5 point favorites for tonight’s matchup against the Knicks, according to the DraftKings Illinois Sportsbook (-112) and the FanDuel Illinois Sportsbook (-126), and the PointsBet Illinois Sportsbook (-110).
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).
[bet-bonus id=”242922″ ]
What to Watch For
• All things considered, Patrick Williams did a good job taking over some of The Finnisher’s scoring load last night, finishing the game with a career-high 20 points to go along with 7 rebounds. Williams also finished second on the team in free-throw attempts, going a perfect 6-6 from the line. This kind of offensive showing has been a slow build for Williams, who has gradually looked more comfortable attacking the basket over the past few games. Hopefully, he can continue on this path tonight, as the Bulls will surely need him to provide a bit more on that end of the floor with both Otto Porter and Markkanen sidelined.
• Billy Donovan has put Denzel Valentine ahead of Chandler Hutchison in the rotation. However, the Bulls head coach will likely have no choice but to play both tonight due to the team’s injury trouble, which means we should get our first significant look at Hutchison post-COVID-diagnosis.
• Markkanen didn’t necessarily do anything to stop Nikola Vucevic last night, who finished with 19 rebounds and a career-high 43 points. But the lack of his seven-foot frame is only going to make stopping the big man that much more difficult this time around. The Bulls either have to hope Daniel Gafford flips a switch or that Vucevic simply used up all his firepower in the first game. The other option could be the unleash the beast – aka Cristiano Felicio.
• If the Bulls don’t get off to a stronger start on the offensive end … we could see a repeat of last night.
• In Coby White’s 34 minutes of play, he only managed 16 points and 3 assists. The Bulls point guard may have been able to score some clutch buckets in the final frame, but the team needs him to play a lot better if they want to steal this victory on the road. He just simply can’t be outplayed again by his fellow UNC product Cole Anthony, who finished with 17 points, 9 assists, and 2 steals in the first matchup.
Get Caught Up …
LIVE: Head Coach Billy Donovan media availability prior to tonight’s game against the Magic https://t.co/mcrCdrW2u5
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 6, 2021
The Bulls are 0-25 since the start of last season against the 8 teams that made the 2020 Eastern Playoffs.
This ends tonight.
Hopefully.
Pregame for Bulls-Magic: The Rematch at 5:45 on @670TheScore.
— Jeff Mangurten (@JeffGurt) February 6, 2021
Thaddeus Young is “Drawing the Most Interest” on a Bulls-Heavy Trade Markethttps://t.co/KCSGPQrEgX
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) February 6, 2021
