Bulls vs. Magic Prediction & Preview: Giddey Leads Chicago’s Three‑Point Attack vs. Franz Wagner’s Surging Orlando Magic in Peacock NBA Showdown

The Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic renew acquaintances tonight in Orlando with storylines that go well beyond a routine early‑season matchup. Chicago arrives at the Kia Center trying to halt a three‑game skid and climb back over .500, while Orlando is leveraging newfound depth and defensive identity to stay in the thick of the Eastern Conference race.

Coming in at 9‑10, the Bulls have leaned heavily on new floor general Josh Giddey, who is averaging more than 20 points per game and orchestrating an offense that ranks among the league’s better three‑point shooting units. Chicago is seventh in the NBA in made threes, hitting 14.4 per game at a 37.3 percent clip, a sharp‑shooting profile that will be critical against Orlando’s physical interior defense.

The Magic, 12‑8 and 7‑3 at home, have surged behind the two‑way play of Franz Wagner, who leads them with 22.8 points per night and anchors an attack that pounds the paint for 54.2 points per game, fourth‑best in the league. Orlando’s comfort in its identity — grinding defense, size at every position and a more reliable offense than in past years — has them trending upward after years in the lottery wilderness.

Injuries, however, are shaping tonight’s chessboard. The Bulls are missing several rotation pieces, with Coby White, Zach Collins, Dalen Terry and Jalen Smith all listed out, forcing Chicago to stretch its bench and potentially ride Giddey and veteran center Nikola Vučević for heavier minutes. Orlando counters without former No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero and forward Moritz Wagner, testing the Magic’s frontcourt depth and putting even more on Franz Wagner’s shoulders as a primary scorer and playmaker.

There’s also a recent history to consider. The Magic dropped the first meeting of the season at home, 110‑98, when Chicago’s perimeter shooting and ball movement sliced through Orlando’s defense, handing the Magic their second loss of the young campaign. Tonight’s game doubles as a shot at payback and a chance for Orlando to prove that stumble was more blip than blueprint.

Nationally, the matchup carries added visibility as part of the NBA’s expanding presence on Peacock and NBC’s revamped broadcast slate. With both franchises trying to reestablish themselves as postseason fixtures — Chicago retooling around a new core and Orlando intent on showing its hot start is sustainable — Bulls vs. Magic tonight feels less like a schedule filler and more like an early barometer of where these evolving Eastern Conference rivals truly stand.