The Chicago Bulls (1-0) and Orlando Magic (1-1) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will broadcast live on CHSN.
The Magic are 6-point favorites over the Bulls on the spread (Magic -6), with the over/under set at 232.5 total points. Orlando is a -240 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Chicago is +200 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Bulls vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks for Saturday, October 25.
My Bulls vs Magic Prediction
- Bulls vs Magic pick: Bulls +6 (-110)
My Bulls vs Magic best bet is on Chicago to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at bet365. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Bulls vs Magic Odds
| Bulls Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6 -110 | 232.5 -110o / -110u | +200 |
| Magic Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6 -110 | 232.5 -110o / -110u | -240 |
Bulls vs Magic NBA Preview
The Orlando Magic received favorable offseason grades after strengthening their backcourt by trading for Desmond Bane and acquiring Tyus Jones to serve as a backup point guard.
While Bane will provide some much-needed scoring for a team that ranked just 27th in offensive efficiency (108.9), I still have concerns regarding their lack of ball movement.
Orlando ranked at the bottom of the league in assists last season, averaging just 23 per game.
Through two games in this campaign, that number is down to 22, with an offensive efficiency of 108.4, which is only 27th in the league.
Perhaps the biggest surprise at the moment is how head coach Jamahl Mosley is utilizing Jones. He is averaging just 21.5 minutes per game thus far, which is five fewer than last season (26.8) with the Suns.
We're also seeing Jones be less effective, with his scoring down from 10.2 points to 2.0, and his assists halved from 5.3 to 2.5.
While it might seem strange to focus so much on a player who isn't exactly a superstar, Orlando brought Jones in to fill a much-needed void that continues to persist throughout the team.
If he's not producing and playing fewer minutes, one has to question what the plan was to improve offensively.
It is a bit surprising that Orlando doesn't have a recognizable point guard in its starting lineup, given that Jalen Suggs typically plays more of an off-guard role.
Although it's still early in the season, it bears watching how the Magic will handle the point guard position moving forward.
As for the Bulls, their identity seems much clearer after re-signing Josh Giddey and Tre Jones and acquiring Isaac Okoro via trade with Cleveland.
Giddey is the primary ball-handler as a point forward, and Chicago has a burgeoning star in Matas Buzelis.
At 35 years old, Nikola Vucevic brings a nice balance to the team with his veteran presence, but he can still produce, as evidenced by his team-high 28 points against the Pistons on Wednesday night.
Despite entering the season with a win total ranging from 32.5 to 33.5, the Bulls could surprise a few people when it's all said and done.
Bulls vs Magic Prediction, Betting Analysis
We're only two games into the season, and the Magic are already staring down the barrel of a back-to-back.
Orlando is coming off a 111-107 home loss to Atlanta, while the Bulls enter this contest with a two-day rest advantage.
With Orlando trying to reconfigure its offense, this quick turnaround could be to its detriment.
As a result, laying six points to Chicago feels a bit steep against a team that's potentially on the rise after keeping its core intact.
The high total of 232.5 also suggests some correlation that should reflect more favorably with the Bulls.
At +6, Chicago is very much a live underdog to keep this point spread within reach.
Pick: Bulls +6 (-110, bet365)
Magic vs Bulls Betting Trends
