Bulls tie game in closing seconds, but lose to Magic
CHICAGO (AP) — Paolo Banchero nailed a turnaround jumper with one second remaining, and the Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 96-94 on Wednesday night.
The Magic led by as much as 19 in the third quarter, only to have Chicago tie it in the closing seconds of the game on a 3-pointer by Zach LaVine.
Banchero then got the ball down low following a timeout and buried a fadeaway shot to give Orlando a wild win after losing three of four.
Banchero led Orlando with 17 points — nine in the fourth quarter. Goga Bitadze had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Cole Anthony scored 16. Franz Wagner added 13 points, and the Magic came away with the win despite shooting 39% and making just 8 of 28 3-pointers.
LaVine scored 19 for the Bulls, who were without fellow star DeMar DeRozan, who missed the game for personal reasons.
Nikola Vucevic had 17 points and nine rebounds. Alex Caruso scored 16 after missing two games with a toe injury, and Andre Drummond grabbed 14 rebounds. But the Bulls — like the Magic — struggled from beyond the arc, making 9 of 33 3s.
The Magic led by 19 late in the third, only to have Chicago pull within nine — 73-64 — on a buzzer-beating 3 by Caruso.
Vucevic cut it to 87-82 when he scored on a hook with three minutes remaining. Banchero then drove for a layup and answered a basket by Caruso with a 3 to make it 92-84 with just over two minutes left.
Caruso hit two free throws with 57 seconds remaining to pull Chicago within 92-88. But he missed a 3 with about 30 seconds to go.
Banchero made 1 of 2 free throws, but the Bulls weren't finished. LaVine cut it to 93-91 when he nailed a 3 with 17 seconds remaining.
Orlando's Anthony Black had a chance to make it a two-possession game when he got fouled with 14 seconds remaining. He made the first free throw but missed the second.
Caruso got the rebound. And after a timeout, LaVine buried a 3 to tie it at 94 with 7.5 seconds left.