Chicago @ Orlando preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 22, 2019 ) Chicago 110, Orlando 109

The Orlando Magic appeared to be making a run up the standings until falling off the pace and dropped six of their last seven games. The Magic lost the final three of a four-game road trip and will try to turn things around when they return home to host the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Orlando enters play on Sunday 27th in the NBA in field-goal percentage at 38.1 and wasn't doing enough on the defensive end to make up for the shortcomings offensively over the final three games on the road trip. "We've got to get ready for Chicago," Magic center Nikola Vucevic told reporters. "That's a very important game for us. Three straight losses, and we need to win at home, and we'll have to be ready for that one. We have to learn from our mistakes and improve. We all know what we have to improve upon, and it's on us to do it now." The Bulls have a shot at their first three-game winning streak of the season after outlasting Washington in overtime on Wednesday and knocking off Detroit 119-107 on Saturday. Chicago shot 51.9 percent from the floor against the Pistons to give itself a chance at a winning four-game road trip.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago-plus, FS Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE BULLS (12-19): Zach LaVine is leading Chicago's charge up the standings and finished with 33 points on 9-of-15 shooting in Saturday's triumph. Part of that shooting effort included a 5-of-7 night from beyond the arc, and the Bulls knocked down 18 3-pointers in the win as Cody White (5-of-7) got hot off the bench and even center Wendell Carter Jr. (1-of-1) got into the mix. "We won the boards, which you have to do in this building to have a chance to win," Bulls coach Jim Boylen told reporters. "I didn't like the (21) turnovers, but when you make 18 3's you have a little margin for error."

ABOUT THE MAGIC (12-17): Power forward Aaron Gordon went 4-of-17 from the floor in Friday's 118-111 loss at Portland, finishing out a four-game trip in which he shot 26.4 percent. "I've got to let go of the frustration because I know how much work that I put in, how diligent I am about this game and how professional I am," Gordon told reporters. "The shots are going to fall as long as I stay confident with it and keep shooting the ball. ... I've got to find ways to impact the game while (shots aren't falling). ... I've just got to stay patient and help my teammates around me and bring energy to the game. I know it's going to come." Shooting guard Evan Fournier is trying to find his shooting form as well and is 4-of-19 from beyond the arc over the last three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Magic PG Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder) left Friday's game and is day-to-day.

2. Carter Jr. collected 12 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday to snap a string of four straight games without a double-double.

3. The teams split the four meetings last season, with Chicago earning one win on the road at Orlando on Feb. 22.

PREDICTION: Magic 106, Bulls 96