Magic Offense Wins Shootout vs. Bulls to Stay Perfect at Home

The Orlando Magic scored a season-high 133 points — led by Jalen Suggs' career-high 31 — to improve their record to 13-7 and stay perfect at home.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) shoots the ball during the first quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Kia Center. / Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic's league-best defense allows them to approach any game on any night and know they have a chance at victory.

But when the Magic offense is knocking down shots at this rate? Good luck to their opponents.

Orlando entered Wednesday evening with the NBA's 25th-ranked offense and the league-worst three-point shooting percentage. But if your offense is struggling, a healthy dose of the Chicago Bulls defense can help.

The Magic trounced the Bulls 133-119 at the Kia Center in an appetizer to Thanksgiving. With their 10th win in 11 games, the Magic improved their record to 13-7 and maintained a perfect mark (9-0) at home. With the Cleveland Cavaliers' loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Cleveland, the Magic are the only NBA team left with an undefeated record at home.

"We set the standard for what we want to do in this building," guard Jalen Suggs said. "Whenever we're here, we come home and take care of business."

Orlando shot 46-of-90 from the field and knocked down 15 threes. The Magic's defense was there, too – forcing 18 turnovers out of the run-and-gun Bulls that translated to 19 Orlando points. And credit due: Chicago made their fair share of tough shots.

But in a flip of the Magic's usual winning script, the Orlando offense overwhelmed an opponent.

"Our ability to get to the paint," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley began postgame, "we got 60 points in the paint. We shoot 28 free throws. I think that's something that's one of our staples. So our ability to get to the paint, then spray out for the feet-set threes, and we got a lot of them up because the pace of the game was forcing that. We get downhill; they collapse, [and] we got to the free-throw line some, but our ability to pass the ball out and guys were getting open looks – very good looks."

In his return to the lineup after a one-game absence due to a hamstring strain, Suggs scored a career-high 31 points and added seven assists.

Backcourt partner Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also had his highest-scoring night in a Magic uniform (24 points, six threes), and Franz Wagner scored 21.

Moe Wagner added 15 points off the Orlando bench and starting center Goga Bitadze had 11 points and 11 rebounds, his fifth double-double this year.

Wendell Carter Jr. made his return after missing 12 consecutive games with left foot plantar fasciitis. He added four points and four rebounds in 18 minutes.

"It was just good to get him out there again, just letting the game come to him, getting the flow, being back out there with his teammates," Mosley said. "That was the big mission for tonight. Not worried about points, not worried about stats, not worried about anything other than getting him on the floor, getting out of this game healthy and just finding a rhythm with his teammates."

Up Next

The Magic head up the East Coast to begin a five-game road trip on Friday evening. The first of two games with the Brooklyn Nets tips off Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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