White Scores 44 as Magic Lose 5th Straight in Shootout with Bulls

The Orlando Magic scored over 120 points for just the seventh time this season, but it wasn't enough to defeat the visiting Chicago Bulls. Coby White scored a career-high 44 points to help the Bulls beat the Magic 125-123.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) shoots the ball against the Chicago Bulls in the second quarter at Kia Center. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. — When Wendell Carter Jr. rebounded Paolo Banchero's miss on a go-ahead three, the Orlando Magic center appeared to have a chance at a game-tying putback.

But when Carter came down and rose again for a dunk, the clock had expired and the Chicago Bulls escaped Thursday night's shootout with a 125-123 win.

It's the first time Orlando has scored at least 120 points this season and lost. The Magic were previously 6-0 in such instances.

The Magic's fifth straight dropped result lowers them to 29-35 and ninth in the Eastern Conference.

"We have to fight our way out of this funk," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Much of the Bulls' damage was done by Coby White, who led a group of five Chicago double-digit scorers with a career-high 44 points.

"He's a great player," Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (19 points) said. "He was getting to the basket. He was getting easy layups where we missed low man help, and his pull-up threes; most of them were wide open, but he's a great shooter. He just put the ball in the basket tonight."

White was the catalyst, but Chicago's ability to get up threes or get to the rim sparked their offense. The Bulls scored 40 of their 43 baskets either in the paint or from three.

"I don't even know if they took a midrange shot today," Paolo Banchero said in the Magic's locker room. "It was just at the rim or threes, and Coby White had it going. He made some big shots."

All five Orlando starters scored at least 17 points. Cole Anthony – back after a one-game injury absence – and Banchero (5-of-15 field goals, 10-of-11 free throws) each finished with 20 points to lead the Magic, who shot 45.5 percent from the field but made only nine of 33 three-point attempts.

With the help of crisp ball movement and Chicago's 26th-ranked defense, the Magic eclipsed 100 points in under three quarters. That's happened only three times this year, but twice now against the Bulls.

Yet, the strong offensive showing was nullified through 24 minutes when Orlando went into halftime trailing 69-66.

"It was that first-half defense that set us back a little bit," Mosley said. "Yes, it was only a three-point game, but our ability to stop the attack downhill and then giving up second-chance points was tough there."

A reversal of form saw them win the third quarter and lead heading into the fourth, but Chicago won the final 12 minutes 29-22 – closing the game on a 9-2 run over the final 4:19 as the Magic offense tightened.

Multiple voices on the Magic alluded to Chicago's pace, which ranks third-quickest in the NBA, as giving them fits all night. They're right, too – the Bulls scored 25 points on fastbreak situations.

"Really challenging," Franz Wagner (18 points, 6-18 field goals) said in the locker room of Chicago's run-and-gun offense. "I thought we never contained the ball [or] only [for] a few stretches in the game."

The Bulls also dominated the glass 58-45, including 13 offensive rebounds on several long misses that led to 20 second-chance points.

"Those are deflating possessions that we've just got to come away with," Mosley said. "I think that's a big portion of this game right now, but I think [when] you give up 13 offensive rebounds it becomes deflating to your defense when you do get the initial stop."

Jonathan Isaac was a late scratch from the contest due to an illness.

Now staring down a five-game road trip, Orlando won just one of seven games on this extended homestand, in which four of the six losses finished within one possession.

Dwight Howard entering Magic Hall of Fame

During Thursday's contest, the Magic announced Howard – the team's No. 1 overall draft pick in 2004 – would become the 13th inductee into the franchise's Hall of Fame.

Orlando will honor him Monday, March 24 when the Magic host the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Dwight Howard left an undeniable imprint on the history of the Orlando Magic,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said. “From being the first overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, to our trip to the 2009 NBA Finals, Dwight’s work helped us achieve great success during his eight seasons in a Magic uniform, both on the court and in the community. We are looking forward to inducting Dwight into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.”

To see the full story on Howard's pending induction, click here.

Up Next

The Magic embark on a five-game road trip, which begins Saturday, March 8 at the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. ET.

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