One Major Concern for the Chicago Bulls Against the Orlando Magic

Is it too late for the Chicago Bulls to release an alternative jersey made of bubble wrap?

Billy Donovan's team can not afford another injury as they embark on a heavily congested schedule, but the extra padding also wouldn't hurt specifically against their Friday night opponent. The Orlando Magic have become a thorn in the Bulls' side over the last few seasons, and they have done that thanks to their bruising style of play.

Physicality has been a major talking point for the Bulls since last season. They entered this year's training camp preaching improvement in this department, running charge drills at the Advocate Center, and touting the example set by the recently-acquired Isaac Okoro. Nevertheless, all those words and practice-court fun have yet to turn into action. And that makes a meeting with the Orlando Magic all the more concerning.

Physicality is Key Against Orlando Magic

Dec 1, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) drives against Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) during the second half at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

To the Chicago Bulls' credit, they do already have one victory over the Magic this season. Orlando was one of the five teams they punched in the mouth to begin the year, running them off the floor with their 22 fastbreak points and seven players in double figures. Still, it felt like the Bulls came out a tad lucky after Orlando shot a mere 39.1 percent from the field, and this proved to be the case when the two teams met again in December.

While it may have been another tight game, the Orlando Magic ultimately handed the Bulls a 125-120 loss by dominating in the paint. They used their physical brand of basketball to score 62 points in the paint and shoot a staggering 27-35 in the restricted area. Orlando also finished the night with a significant advantage at the charity stripe. They went 26-33 compared to the Bulls' 16-22 shooting display. Desmond Bane was a perfect 10-10 on his freebies.

To little surprise, Orlando ended up controlling the glass, too. They won the second-chance points battle 15-9 after winning this department 29-13 in their first meeting of the season. Five of their offensive rebounds came in the fourth quarter during the December 1 win, helping them drop 40 points in the final frame.

Overall, Orlando comes into Friday night's game averaging the sixth-most points in the paint per game (54.4) and the 11th-most second-chance points (15.9). Conversely, the Bulls give up the fourth-most points in the paint each night (54.4) and the 8th-most second-chance points (16.2). That's pretty scary news, especially when we consider the Bulls' most physical presence in the paint, Zach Collins, is sidelined with a toe injury.

Speaking of injuries, the absence of Coby White and Josh Giddey also doesn't bode well against an Orlando defense that ranks in the Top 9 and forces opponents into nearly 15.0 turnovers a night. While this may not be the same lockdown defense we have seen in recent years, the flashes are still there at times. Not only might this make the absence of their Top 2 leading scorers stand out even more, but the lack of ball-handlers raises concerns about the potential turnover margin. Chicago coughed it up 21 times in their previous outing against Orlando and allowed 21 points off those mistakes.

If there is any good news for the Bulls, it's that their offensive identity remained intact during their meeting with New Orleans on Wednesday night. Might this be harder to pull off against Orlando's aggressive lineup? Sure, but it's notable that they finished with eight players in double figures and 33 assists. Tre Jones was able to fill Giddey's role rather nicely with a 20-point, 12-assist night. Meanwhile, the team did a great job creating some open looks from behind the arc as the game went on.

Their ability to continue doing the latter will be essential on Friday night. Despite their interior dominance, Orlando is far from a threatening offensive team. They are among the NBA's worst three-point shooting squads and are well aware of it. The Magic take a mere 32.7 attempts a night, which is the fifth-fewest in the NBA. Even more concerning, they shoot only 33.7 percent on those minimal attempts, which is third-worst behind only the Pacers and Mavericks.

Does this mean the Chicago Bulls should take the court ready to make it rain? Not particularly, but one of the best ways to combat a physical team is to spread them out and counter twos with threes. For what it's worth, they have only shot 43+ attempts from downtown three times November 28, and one of those instances came in Wednesday night's victory.