{"id":102551,"date":"2026-01-01T20:17:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T20:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/102551\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T20:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T20:17:08","slug":"orlando-magic-wrap-up-3-game-trip-at-chicago-bulls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/102551\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Magic wrap up 3-game trip at Chicago Bulls"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s almost fitting that Paolo Banchero<\/a>\u2018s go-ahead basket with 7.5 seconds left to play Wednesday at Indiana<\/a> took place in the paint.<\/p>\n

Two days earlier, the Magic<\/a> shot 44.6% in the painted area when Orlando<\/a> gave up a 21-point lead in a 1-point loss at Toronto<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Against the Pacers<\/a>, however, Jamahl Mosley<\/a>\u2018s squad met the moment by shooting 64.8% in the paint to post 70 paint points \u2014 28 more than what they scored against the Raptors.<\/p>\n

And they needed all 70 when Banchero\u2019s drive lifted the Magic past the Pacers, 112-110, inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse<\/a> to hand Indiana its 10th loss in a row.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because Orlando shot 3-for-21 from 3-point range after it entered 4-7 in games it had made nine or fewer 3-pointers this season. The last time the Magic won a game while making three or fewer 3-pointers was Dec.18, 2015 vs. Portland (2-of-15).<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s just what we\u2019ve got to do,\u201d Banchero (29 points, 10 rebounds) said about his team penetrating the paint. \u201cObviously we want to make more 3s but some nights, it goes that way. We just did a good job of being relentless getting in the paint and finishing at the hoop. That\u2019s something we\u2019ve got to continue to focus on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added Magic guard Desmond Bane: \u201cThat\u2019s our MO. We\u2019ve got so many guys that can put pressure on the rim (and) touch the paint.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of those drivers was Jalen Suggs, who made his return to the court Wednesday after missing the last seven games due to a left hip bruise. Six of his 11 points were scored in the paint, including a running layup early in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

\"Orlando<\/p>\n

AP Photo\/Doug McSchooler<\/p>\n

Magic guard Jalen Suggs, right, runs up court with the ball while being defended by Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin during the second half of Wednesday’s game in Indianapolis. (AP Photo\/Doug McSchooler)<\/p>\n

Suggs added three steals, three assists and three rebounds but also turned the ball over three times in his first game back from injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a difference-maker for us on both ends of the floor,\u201d Bane said about Suggs. \u201cHe can make plays with the ball, can facilitate, defend the other team\u2019s best player, so he definitely helps us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orlando was still without one of its key difference makers in Franz Wagner, who missed his 10th straight game because of a left high ankle sprain.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to mention Moe Wagner, who continues to rehab the torn ACL in his left knee, or Jonathan Isaac (sore left knee) and Jett Howard (illness), who also all missed Wednesday\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n

But Orlando still found a way to overcome those absences and win on the road against a Pacers team that led by 10 points in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

In fact, the last\u00a0three Magic games have been decided by two or fewer points, marking just the fourth time in team history that three-plus straight games have been decided by two or fewer points. The most consecutive games decided by two-or-fewer in club history is four games, a stretch that came last season (March 2-8, 2025).<\/p>\n

One of the reasons why Wednesday\u2019s contest ended in a favorable result for the Magic was because of the team\u2019s ability to score second-chance points (9) and limit Indiana\u2019s second-chance opportunities (just three).<\/p>\n

At Toronto, the Raptors grabbed 21 offensive boards against the Magic. At Indiana, however, Orlando limited the Pacers to just five offensive rebounds, including just 1 after the first quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur ability to finish possessions off shows how good we can be when we\u2019re able to get out on the break and run,\u201d Mosley said. \u201cThis group always takes on challenges. We just have to continue to work on the mini battles within the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orlando\u2019s next challenge comes Friday at Chicago against a surging Bulls squad that\u2019s 7-3 in its last 10 games.<\/p>\n

Chicago, however, will be without guards Josh Giddey (left hamstring strain) and Coby White (right calf tightness) and center Zach Collins (right toe sprain).<\/p>\n

Still, the Magic know they\u2019ll have to focus on taking care of the basketball, closing out defensive rebounds and finishing around the basket if the team wants to end its three-game road trip on a high note.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s been our Achilles\u2019 heel in some of these losses \u2014 not being able to secure and finish possessions,\u201d Bane said. \u201cWe secured possessions especially when it mattered, and that\u2019s the difference between winning and losing in this league.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Up next \u2026<\/p>\n

Magic at Bulls<\/p>\n

When:\u00a08 p.m., Friday, United Center<\/p>\n

TV:\u00a0FanDuel Sports Network Florida\/WESH 2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s almost fitting that Paolo Banchero\u2018s go-ahead basket with 7.5 seconds left to play Wednesday at Indiana took…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":102552,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[114,2295,139,141,1239,140,109,110],"class_list":{"0":"post-102551","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-orlando","8":"tag-latest-headlines","9":"tag-nba","10":"tag-orlando","11":"tag-orlando-headlines","12":"tag-orlando-magic","13":"tag-orlando-news","14":"tag-social","15":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102551"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102551\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}