Bulls going for season sweep of Magic (Mar 29, 2018)

Not much is going right for the Chicago Bulls this season.

An exception might be their performances against the Orlando Magic.

The Bulls go for the season sweep of the Magic on Friday night when the teams get together in Orlando.

Chicago is going for its first season sweep of Orlando since the 2012-13 season when the team won 45 games and reached the second round of the playoffs.

The Bulls (24-51) began the season series by outscoring the Magic 61-38 in the second half of a 105-83 victory at Orlando on Nov. 3. Chicago then posted a 112-94 home victory Dec. 30 and held on for a 105-101 win Feb. 12 also at home.

Chicago is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings and is attempting its sixth season sweep against the Magic. The Bulls also achieved it during the 1990-91, 1996-97, 2004-05 and 2010-11 seasons.

Chicago's last meeting with Orlando was part of a 17-16 stretch that followed a 3-20 start. Since then the Bulls are 4-15 after extending their losing streak to seven games with Thursday's 102-93 loss to the Miami Heat when they shot 36.7 percent, marking the 21st game Chicago made less than 40 percent of its shots.

During their second-longest skid of the season, the Bulls are averaging 97.3 points on 40.2 percent shooting while the average margin of defeat is 19.1 points.

Rookie Lauri Markkanen sat for the sixth time in eight games with back spasms. He is averaging 14.9 points on 42.8 percent shooting but could return Friday against an opponent he scored 21 points against in the last meeting.

The Bulls are on their losing streak while Kris Dunn is recovering from a right toe sprain for the last seven games. The skid also is occurring while Zach LaVine is recovering from a sore left knee.

Dunn and LaVine are not expected to play Friday. The young trio has appeared in 12 games together because of various injuries and LaVine not returning until Jan. 13.

"I really wish we would have had that stretch continue on when we were playing so well (in December and January) and had Zach fully back, but things happen in this league," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters Wednesday. "You do the best you can under those circumstances, but I don't think we ever got a true look at what that will look like with a full healthy roster."

Orlando (22-52) is 2-9 in its last 11 games after absorbing a 111-104 home loss to the 24-51 Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

Orlando also is 16-49 since its last home meeting with the Bulls. The latest loss after the Magic put together an effective second half in a 105-99 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.

The Magic never led in Wednesday's game, trailed by 19 and shot 43.6 percent. Orlando gave up the game's first eight points and missed its first 11 shots of the fourth.

"This is very disappointing," Orlando reserve guard Shelvin Mack told reporters. "It felt like we could never get over the hump. We cut it down to four and they got an and-one and then we just kept going back and forth. (The Nets) came out and played hard and deserved to win. We've just got to do a better job starting from the get-go and be ready to play."

Nikola Vucevic recorded 24 points and 15 rebounds, marking his first instance of consecutive games with at least 20 points since returning from a broken hand last month.

The Magic played Wednesday without rookie Jonathan Issac (strained foot), Johnathon Simmons (wrist contusion) and Evan Fournier (bruised knee). Fournier is expected to miss his 10th straight game, Simmons is doubtful and Issac is listed as probable.

Friday is part of a stretch where the Magic will play five of six games against their fellow 50-loss teams. The exception is a visit on Tuesday to the New York Knicks, who are at 49 defeats.

Orlando is 7-10 in those games.