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The Chicago Bulls face the struggling Orlando Magic at the United Center on Wednesday in a 2020-21 NBA game that could be key to their hopes of making the play-in tournament.
Orlando Magic fans favorite Nikola Vucevic could face off against the former Chicago Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr in an enticing duel.
Match Details
Fixture: Orlando Magic vs Chicago Bulls | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 14th; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, April 15th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL.
Orlando Magic Preview
Unfortunately for the Orlando Magic, they have nothing to play for in the rest of this season. Since their midseason firesale, the Orlando Magic have won just two of their ten matchups and are ranked 25th for defensive rating during this period.
Without their three most potent scorers, the Orlando Magic have failed to score more than 100 points on four occasions and only scored more than 110 twice. They will now be looking towards next season and focus on the development of their young stars - RJ Hampton, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony and Chuma Okeke.
Key Player - Wendell Carter Jr.
Wendell Carter Jr., as a young replacement for Vucevic, was acquired by the Orlando Magic as part of a deal with the Chicago Bulls. In his third season in the league, the 21-year-old has made a bright start to life in Florida.
In nine games he has played for the Orlando Magic so far, Carter Jr. has been given additional responsibility to what he had in Chicago. He has had 1.5 more attempts per match and making 55.3% of all field-goal efforts. In this period, he is second among his teammates for points per game (13.4) and comfortably top for rebounds with 8.3 per night.
Carter Jr. is having his best offensive year in the NBA but could have a tough outing on Wednesday night. It will be a battle between the experienced and the young star in the paint, the Orlando Magic center could take on Vucevic down low.
Orlando Magic Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Dwayne Bacon; Shooting Guard - Michael Carter-Williams; Power Forward - Chuma Okeke; Small Forward - James Ennis III; Center - Wendell Carter Jr.
Chicago Bulls Preview
The Chicago Bulls' new acquisitions have taken their time to get going.
Since the trade deadline, the Chicago Bulls was slipping out of postseason reckoning. They have since lost seven of their last ten matchups and are 5.5 games behind the East's eighth seed.
The likes of Zach LaVine will need to pick up his scoring form, as he is averaging underwhelming returns per night over the last ten games and shooting well below his season's numbers.
If they are to make the postseason, the Chicago Bulls will have to take advantage of their three-game homestead this week, as two of their opponents are the conference's bottom three sides.
Like the Orlando Magic, the Chicago Bulls' defense simply hasn't been good enough in recent games and is ranked 22nd for efficiency in the last ten games.
Key Player - Nikola Vucevic
It will be an emotional return to Orlando for Nikola Vucevic. The two-time All-Star was their leader at both ends of the floor. However, his performances have earned him a position on a team that can compete in the upper echelons in the years to come.
Since moving to the Chicago Bulls, the 30-year-old has averaged 21.8 points and 9.7 rebounds. Although his efficiency has decreased, his overall offensive rating is at a career-high 118. Moreover, there have been glimpses of a flourishing partnership he could have with LaVine.
Vucevic is the prime example of a modern-day center in the NBA. He can shoot the three ball with over 40% accuracy on more than six attempts per game and is scoring at over 80% from the free-throw line.
His output and experience could be key for the Chicago Bulls going forward, and he could help them sneak into the playoffs via the play-in tournament.
Chicago Bulls Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Zach LaVine; Shooting Guard - Tomas Satoransky; Power Forward - Patrick Williams; Small Forward - Thaddeus Young; Center - Nikola Vucevic.
Magic vs Bulls Match Prediction
The Chicago Bulls are expected to win this game. They have the experience and the All-Star caliber talent to do so.
With the Orlando Magic still getting used to their new lineup, they could struggle to outscore their opponents, particularly if Vucevic and LaVine catch fire from the floor.
A low-scoring affair could ensue, as both teams are ranked inside the bottom ten for points per game in their last ten NBA outings.
Where to watch the Magic vs Bulls matchup?
Local broadcasting of the game will be on NBC Sports Chicago and Bally Sports Florida. This match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
