What we learned from the Chicago Bulls' close loss to the Orlando Magic

The Chicago Bulls lost their second straight game, faltering to the Orlando Magic, 96-94, no thanks to a tough bucket by the Magic’s sophomore star, Paolo Banchero. Here are a couple of takeaways from the match.

Disastrous second quarter

While the war was eventually won in the dying seconds of regulation, the battle tilted in the Magic’s favor in the second quarter. In that crucial stretch, the Bulls’ offense sputtered and produced a paltry 12 points to fall behind by 17 at halftime, 50-33.

At the turn, the Bulls’ shooting percentage was at 26 percent. The team also fired blanks from behind the three-point line, making just 14.3 percent of their first-half attempts. The Bulls’ 33 points in the first half was the sixth-fewest in franchise history.

At the half. pic.twitter.com/dC6k5oJ6hs
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 16, 2023

Banchero bullies Caruso in the post

Alex Caruso is one of the league’s best defenders, capable of guarding multiple positions. However, the reigning Rookie of the Year stands 6-foot-10 and weighs a hefty 250 pounds. So it wasn’t a surprise when Banchero bullied Caruso in the post on his way to scoring the game-winning turnaround jumper.

After the game, Caruso gave Banchero his props for making the tough shot. However, he’s curious to see the game’s Last Two Minute Report to see what officials make of Banchero’s footwork.

“He made a tough shot. The ball bounced like four times on the rim and went in,” Caruso said. “Without saying too much, we'll look at the Two Minute Report and see what happened with the foot movement for Paolo. Overall, I tried to make it tough on him.”

PAOLO BANCHERO GAME-WINNER 🥶

MAGIC WIN IN CHICAGO. pic.twitter.com/s3zZzSQ2xL
— NBA (@NBA) November 16, 2023

Disastrous second quarter

Banchero bullies Caruso in the post

In a disappointing start to the season, Alex Caruso is the Bulls' shining star