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Desmond Bane notches 37 again to lift Magic past Bulls

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on

Published in Basketball

ORLANDO, Fla. — Heading into Monday’s contest between the Magic and the Bulls, coach Jamahl Mosley put an emphasis on Orlando‘s ability to defend in transition against a Chicago team that played with the second-fastest pace in the league.

The Magic limited the Bulls to well below their season average in fastbreak points (7 vs. 18.6) and added 19 points of their own on fastbreaks to boost themselves past Chicago in a 125-120 victory inside Kia Center.

Winning its ninth game in the past 11 contests, Orlando saw Desmond Bane go for 37 points a second straight game, Franz Wagner notch 25 points and Anthony Black add 22 off the bench to hand the Bulls their fourth straight loss.

Chicago (9-11) had five players score 20-plus points, including Josh Giddey’s team-high 22, but Orlando scored 25 points off 20 Chicago turnovers in the five-point win. The Magic had lost to the Bulls by 12 in the third game of the season.

The Magic (13-8) continue their three-game homestand Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Bane event

Fresh off scoring a season-high 37 points at Detroit, Bane had 12 in the first half, which included six free throws.

He had a difficult time finding open looks from beyond the arc, taking just one 3-pointer by halftime, but was able to penetrate the paint to score 20-plus points for the 10th time this season.

Bane didn’t make his first 3 until late in the third quarter but it was a timely shot that helped Orlando end the frame on a 22-10 run. He didn’t slow down in the fourth quarter when he added 18 points.

Wagner’s way

Forward Wagner scored seven of Orlando’s first 10 points and posted an 11-point first quarter on 5-for-7 shooting from the field.

He only attempted one 3-pointer in the first half but did most of his damage in the paint, where he shot 7 for 10 to post 17 points before the break.

Wagner’s layup with just over a minute left put Orlando ahead by five points. He added six rebounds in 32 minutes.

Bench boost

Following a quiet first half with just four points, Black notched nine in the third quarter, including his first 3-pointer of the night.

 

Black ended with 22 points alongside nine rebounds when he and Goga Bitadze (five boards) cleaned up the glass for Orlando’s bench.

While Bitadze added eight points, Black scored 20-plus points for the fourth time this season.

Difference from distance

Although Orlando had shot the ball better from distance through its first 20 games, it reverted to its old ways when it shot 9 for 33 from distance (27.3%) against Chicago.

The Bulls, who entered seventh league-wide in 3-point percentage (37.3%), shot the ball far more accurately from distance (16 of 37 for 43.2%).

Chicago had eight players make at least one triple, including five with at least two.

Free points

The Magic, who entered the contest averaging a league-high 30.7 free throw attempts per night, got to the free throw line early and often while doing a solid job of not sending the Bulls to the charity stripe.

Still, in a five-point win, the Magic missed seven free throws, going 26 for 33 at the line.

The Bulls, who entered in the bottom third of the league in average free throw attempts (24.2), ended 16 for 22 there.

Rookie watch

Magic second-round pick Noah Penda entered the contest with about five minutes left in the third quarter, closed out the frame and played the first six minutes of the fourth.

Penda grabbed five rebounds and scored on a drive after a solid shot-fake got a Bulls defender in the air. He hit his first 3 from the right wing less than two minutes into the fourth.

He ended with five points in 11 minutes.


©2025 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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