Magic Come Up Short Against Bulls Despite Valiant Defensive Effort

The Lead

Every time the East-leading Chicago Bulls created a bit of separation, the Orlando Magic would rally and pull within striking distance. The prolific scoring duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, however, refused to let their team squander the lead late, combining for 17 fourth-quarter points in Chicago’s 102-98 victory on Monday at the United Center.

Top Performers

For the 10th time already in his rookie season, Franz Wagner reached the 20-point mark, finishing with 22. Playing against his former team, Wendell Carter Jr. recorded his 18th double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Gary Harris tallied 19 points, his 17th double-digit scoring performance in his last 19…