With both teams fighting for position in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff race, the Orlando Magic host the Chicago Bulls to begin the final full week of regular-season play on Sunday.
Entering Saturday’s slate of NBA games, Orlando (45-32) held the No. 4 spot in the conference standings, owning the tiebreaker over the New York Knicks, who had the same record.
The Magic were a game behind the No. 3 Cleveland Cavaliers, who played Saturday afternoon against the Los Angeles Lakers, and were 1 1/2 games ahead of the No. 6-seeded Indiana Pacers.
A strong finish to the year could help Orlando finish in the top four of the Eastern Conference standings for the first time since 2011. The Magic’s 45 wins are also the most since that 2010-11 campaign when they won 52.
Orlando missed an opportunity to create some distance between its conference foes Friday with a 124-115 loss to the lowly Charlotte Hornets.
Charlotte had dropped nine of its last ten games, but the Hornets’ offense erupted for their most points since Jan. 22.
The Magic fell behind 38-23 after the first quarter and never led the entire night.
“It’s all about how we approach the game,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “Knowing what teams are doing at this point of the season, whether they’re an above .500, sub .500, or playoff team, we’ve got to continue to come out with a level of focus, intensity and intentionality.”
It has otherwise been an exceptional year for Mosley’s team, highlighted by the budding star Paolo Banchero. After winning Rookie of the Year last season, the 21-year-old appeared in his first All-Star Game this year – the youngest player named to the contest.
In 40 minutes against Charlotte, Banchero tallied 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. On the year, he’s averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest.
As Orlando fights for ground in the top half of the East, it plays host to Chicago.
Chicago (37-40) knows it will be playing this year’s play-in tournament, likely against the Atlanta Hawks. The only question is if the Bulls will host the game between Nos. 9 and 10 seeds.
After dropping a crucial meeting to the Hawks on Monday, the Bulls picked up a 108-100 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday, extending their lead over Atlanta to a full game.
In a meeting that was important for both sides, the Bulls never trailed at home on Friday, receiving career highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds from reserve Javonte Green. The formerly undrafted 30-year-old shot 10 of 14 from the field in 33 minutes off the bench.
Green only appeared in 32 games for the Bulls last season due to a right knee injury and was playing for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League this year, hoping to get a chance to return to the NBA.
“I guess it’s just a testament to my hard work that I put in this whole year, since September being with Golden State’s training staff nursing me back,” Green said. “Big shoutout to them for getting me back to where I am now.”
Said Bulls head coach Billy Donovan: “If someone said the guy had knee surgery, you’d say ‘Really? I highly doubt that.’ There’s no question, it’s pretty amazing.”
Chicago is hoping to avoid a season-sweep to the Magic, having dropped the first three matchups.
–Field Level Media
