Matas Buzelis scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half, Kevin Huerter added 20 points and the Chicago Bulls rallied to beat the Orlando Magic 121-114 on Friday night at the United Center for their seventh win in nine games.
Buzelis hit a pair of free throws with 22.8 seconds left to make 119-114, then pulled in his ninth rebound to send in Isaac Okoro for a game-sealing dunk with 4 seconds remaining. Buzelis also finished with a season-high seven assists.
Nikola Vučević added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Ayo Dosumnu had 17 points as the Bulls outscored the Magic 30-19 in the fourth quarter to climb back to .500. (17-17).
Paolo Banchero scored 31 points and Anthony Black added 18 for the Magic in a game with 19 lead changes.
Jalen Suggs had 11 points for the Magic in his second game back after missing seven with a hip injury, but he left this one after landing hard on his right knee late in the third quarter. Desmond Bane added 14 and Wendell Carter Jr. had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Six players reached double figures for the Bulls, who played a second game without their top two scorers in Josh Giddey and Coby White, who were injured in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
The Magic have been without leading scorer Franz Wagner (22.7 point per game) since he suffered a high ankle sprain Dec. 7.
The Magic led 95-91 heading into the fourth quarter, but Bulls took a 105-102 lead on Buzelis’ 3-pointer 4:44 into the quarter.
The Bulls pulled into 59-all tie at halftime on Huerter’s cutting layup after falling behind by 10 early and trailing by as many as 13 in the first quarter after the Magic went on a 14-0 run.
Banchero hit his first four shots and five of six to score 11 of his 13 first-half points in the opening 7:16.
Up next
- Bulls: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
- Magic: Host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
