basketball | Monday, February 13, 2023 11:05 AM

Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Best Bet: Backing Orlando On The Road

Sam Cox

Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Best Bet: Monday, February 13th

The 23-34 Orlando Magic are 5.5-point road underdogs against the 26-30 Chicago Bulls on Monday night. These teams entered the season with contrasting expectations, with Orlando rebuilding and Chicago hoping to contend. The reality, though, is two teams with little to choose between them. Over the last 10 games, they rank 16th and 17th in net rating.

Lonzo Ball and Javonte Green are long-term absentees for Chicago. Alex Caruso is again on the injury report and listed as questionable – he has played in the last three games.
R.J. Hampton is the only player unavailable for the Magic. Jamahl Mosley has been running a deep bench with Jonathan Isaac back in the fray.

In this article:

Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Preview
Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Best Bet

Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Preview

Tue, Feb 14. 01:00 (UK time)

This is the third meeting between the teams in 2022-23, with one win apiece to date. The Bulls enter this contest on a three-game losing run, having fallen by double digits to the Cavaliers, Nets and Grizzlies. Orlando hasn’t lost by six or more points since February 1st, losing just twice over that period.

Defence is the strength for both teams at this stage. Orlando are ninth, Chicago are fourth, when it comes to defensive rating across the previous 10 games with both teams struggling to score the ball efficiently. Only a couple of teams are putting up fewer points per 100 possessions than the Bulls.

Chicago’s shot distribution is well-known at this point, with an anachronistic dependence on the mid-range jumper. Orlando generally does a good job at preventing rim attempts and mid-range looks – much of this can be attributed to the size and athleticism they have on the floor at all points. The primary weakness of the Magic defence is the volume of threes allowed, but the Bulls are dead-last in three-point rate.

For Orlando’s offence, looking after the ball is vital. Like so many young teams, they rank poorly when it comes to giveaways. Chicago, particularly so if Caruso is available, is good at forcing teams into mistakes. The hosts aren’t the best getting out in transition, but some easy buckets will help them if the halfcourt is clunky against Orlando’s size.

Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic Best Bet

Preseason perception would suggest Chicago is a superior team. Nothing from this season would back up that claim, however, with the Magic and Bulls posting very similar numbers across the board. Their profiles are different, of course, but there isn’t much to choose between them.

The Magic are 15-11-1 as a road dog this season. Orlando are the best bet of Monday night at this number – homecourt isn’t significant enough to justify this line with how these teams have played in 2023.