Magic Show Grit in Comeback Win Over Bulls, Continue to Prove They’re for Real
If last week’s win over the Pistons was Orlando’s “we’ve arrived” moment, then Monday night’s gritty comeback against the Bulls was the confirmation: this Magic team isn’t just hot - they’re learning how to win.
Down 15 midway through the third quarter, things could’ve unraveled quickly. But instead of folding, Jamahl Mosley’s squad dug deep, erased the deficit by the start of the fourth, and closed the game on a 16-9 run to pull out a 125-120 win at Kia Center.
It wasn’t the cleanest performance - and it didn’t come against one of the East’s elite - but it showed something arguably more important: resilience. This group has it.
“That’s the difference between the really good teams and the average teams,” said guard Desmond Bane, who once again played the role of offensive engine. “It would have been easy for us to hang our head and lay down, especially against a team like that that plays so fast, shares the ball, constantly trying to touch the paint.”
Chicago came in with energy, pace, and a willingness to attack. But Orlando matched it - and eventually outlasted it.
Bane Does It Again
Bane followed up his 37-point night in Detroit with another 37-piece on Monday, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to post back-to-back 35+ point games. The last to do it? A guy named Tracy McGrady, who pulled it off in March of 2004.
“He’s a winner,” Mosley said. “He’s going to find a way to win no matter what. That’s who he is and that’s who he’s always been.”
Bane’s scoring was the headline, but this was a total team effort. While he handled the offense, the defense came alive behind Jalen Suggs (five steals), Goga Bitadze (four blocks), and rookie Anthony Black (two blocks).
That kind of defensive intensity has been a calling card for the Magic all season - and the numbers back it up. Orlando is now 8-1 when forcing at least 10 steals and 7-2 when recording seven or more blocks.
Winning Ugly - and Learning From It
Orlando didn’t shoot it well from deep (just 27% from three), and turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 19 Chicago points. The Bulls also shot 43% from beyond the arc and racked up 54 points in the paint. But the Magic found a way.
“We had to turn them over in order to get some more possessions,” Mosley said. “We didn’t particularly shoot the ball well. Us being able to turn them over to get out and get some easy baskets was necessary.”
That’s the sign of a team maturing - figuring out how to win even when the shots aren’t falling. Still, the Magic know they can’t keep digging themselves into holes.
“Chicago came out and played really well, to be honest,” Suggs said. “Continuing to play with each other, continuing to find ways to win through these ugly games is growth. But also not putting ourselves in a position to have to go get it like that can also be growth.”
Suggs’ words reflect a team that’s not just happy with wins - they’re chasing a standard. And that standard starts early, not just in the closing minutes.
“You’re living up to that every day,” he added. “That starts in the first quarter, that starts to (open) the second half, in every moment, every run throughout the game.”
Next Up: Spurs Visit the Kia Center
The Magic (13-8) now turn their attention to Wednesday night’s matchup against the Spurs, who will be on the second night of a back-to-back after hosting the Grizzlies. Both teams have been dealing with key injuries - Orlando has been without Paolo Banchero (left groin strain) for nine straight games, while San Antonio has missed Victor Wembanyama (left calf strain) for its last seven.
Whether or not the big names suit up, the Magic know what’s expected.
“We have to continue to grow,” Mosley said. “That’s the big key with what we’re trying to do, focusing on the process of how we’re trying to play. Our guys are recognizing and learning how to win no matter what it costs.”
And if the last couple of games are any indication, this Magic team is learning fast - and winning while they do it.