Meet the Opponent: Chicago Bulls Are Magic's First Challenge in 5-Game Road Trip

The Orlando Magic, 3-1 after beating Eastern Conference rival Indiana, play five road games in eight nights. The first stop is Wednesday night in Chicago.

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) drives to the basket during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

CHICAGO – The Orlando Magic's first multi-city road trip of the NBA season is here. The first of five games is Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls.

The Magic are 3-1 after a 119-115 win over the Indiana Pacers. All-Star forward Paolo Banchero scored 50 in an all-around performance that captured the attention of national media.

Chicago, 2-2, just beat the Memphis Grizzlies, the team that trounced the Magic over the weekend. Zach Lavine's 30 stuck out from several contributors in a 126-123 win inside the FedExForum.

Meet the Bulls

Key Returners (2024-25 stats)

• Zach LaVine: 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists
• Nikola Vucevic: 20.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists
• Coby White: 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists

Key Additions:

• Josh Giddey: 14.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists
• Jalen Smith: 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists
• Matas Buzelis: No. 11 overall pick in the NBA Draft

Key Departures (2023-24 stats)

• Alex Caruso (OKC): 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists
• DeMar DeRozan (SAC): 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists

About the Bulls

The Bulls finally put the wheels in motion on a possible rebuild this summer when they dealt veterans Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan to new locations and got younger with the roster. Finding trade partners for LaVine's contract — two years plus a player option at an annual average salary of $43 million — has been a challenge.

So the Bulls are still in a bit of a middle ground. Chicago's best interest this year would be keeping its protected pick, but the Bulls could flirt with a play-in appearance if the team is better than some of the conference's true bottom feeders.

Individual talents such as Lavine and Vucevic are enough to keep things interesting on a night-to-night basis, but they aren't expected to contend in the East.

Chicago has scored the ninth-most points per game this year, but is 28th in offensive rating after Tuesday night's games. They're 12th in defense, which brings their total net rating to 21st in the NBA through the first week of the league.

Given the overall efficiency of Orlando's unit thus far – seventh in offense and defense, fifth in net rating – the Magic are capable of starting their road trip off on the right foot.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• MAGIC-BULLS TV INFO: The Orlando Magic are on the road for the season's first road trip, starting a five-city swing in Chicago Wednesday night when they take on the Bulls inside the United Center. Here's the TV info for the game, plus plenty of other information regarding the contest. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC-BULLS INJURY REPORT: The latest on player health and status for the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls ahead of Wednesday night's game. CLICK HERE
• PAOLO ON NBA TODAY: Banchero joined ESPN's daily NBA talk show to discuss his 50-point performance vs. the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE
• HOW MUCH HISTORY FOR BANCHERO?: The third-year pro's 50-point night turned heads and rewrote history. But how much? Here's the context. CLICK HERE
• BANCHERO TAKEOVERS ARE BUSINESS AS USUAL: Maybe the nights won't always be this caliber. But for a player on a superstar track – a word used too loosely in the NBA but warranted here – these Paolo Banchero takeovers are the ones to get used to. CLICK HERE
• NBA ELITE REACT TO PAOLO'S 50: Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero scored 50 points in a dramatic comeback win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Basketball fans across the country — and the world — took notice. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC-PACERS RECAP: Behind 50 points from All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, the Orlando Magic outlasted the Indiana Pacers 119-115 on Monday night. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S 2024-25 SCHEDULE: See the complete slate for the Orlando Magic in 2024-25 and all the details – dates, locations, TV, tip times and more – that you need to know. CLICK HERE

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