Orlando Magic vs. Chicago Bulls Picks and Prediction for Friday, January 2, 2026
Orlando Magic (19-15) vs. Chicago Bulls (16-17)
The 2025-26 NBA season goes on Friday, January 2, with the Orlando Magic taking on the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference showdown at United Center in Chicago, IL, so we’ve prepared the Magic vs. Bulls prediction to get you covered.
Orlando meets Chicago for the third time this season. They split the previous two encounters, with both taking place at Kia Center in Orlando, FL. The Bulls beat the Magic 110-98 on October 25, and Orlando responded with a 125-120 victory on December 1.
Read more about this Magic vs. Bulls prediction, and make sure to check out all our NBA picks for Friday’s card. The tip-off at United Center is set at 8:00 PM ET.
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The Magic’s iffy form continues
The Orlando Magic (19-15; 14-20 ATS; 17-17 O/U) have dropped four of their previous eight games overall, alternating losses and wins in the process. They started a three-game road trip last Monday, suffering a 107-106 defeat at the Toronto Raptors. The Magic bounced back on the second day of a back-to-back set, outlasting the Indiana Pacers 112-110.
Orlando blew a 21-point lead in Toronto. The Magic shot just 40.7% from the field (9-for-32 from deep), and Paolo Banchero led the way with a triple-double of 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Banchero tortured Indiana for 29 points and 10 rebounds, and the Magic emerged victorious despite making just three of their 21 shots from downtown.
The Magic hit only 33.7% of their shots from beyond the 3-point mark (tied for 27th in the NBA). They score 115.6 points per 100 possessions (17th) and allow 114.0 points in return (tied for 8th). Orlando cannot count on Franz Wagner (22.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG), while Moritz Wagner is still recovering from a knee injury and has yet to make his season debut.
The Bulls hope to stay on track
The Chicago Bulls (16-17; 17-16 ATS; 15-17-1 O/U) have won six of their previous eight games overall. Last Wednesday, they snapped a two-game skid. After consecutive defeats against the Milwaukee Bucks 112-103 and the Minnesota Timberwolves 136-101, the Bulls beat the New Orleans Pelicans 134-118 in front of their home fans.
Last Monday, the Bulls completely fell apart. They forced just five turnovers, and the Timberwolves’ offense had a field day. Two days later, the Bulls held the Pelicans to 42.8% shooting from the field (12-for-38 from deep) while making 51.1% of their field goals (15-for-43 from deep). Eight Bulls scored in double figures, and Isaac Okoro led the way with 24 points.
Chicago tallies 114.9 points per 100 possessions (20th in the NBA) and surrenders 118.3 points in return (24th). The Bulls have injury worries, too. They miss Josh Giddey (19.2 PPG, 9.0 APG, 8.9 RPG), Coby White (19.2 PPG, 4.7 APG), and Zach Collins (9.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG). Giddey is arguably the most important piece of this Chicago team.
Magic vs. Bulls Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Insiders Room | +1,793.00 |
| 2 |  Tony Karpinski | +1,731.00 |
| 3 |  Jesse Schule | +1,599.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,284.00 |
| 5 |  David Delano | +1,232.00 |
Spread Pick for Magic vs. Bulls
- Orlando Magic (4 units)
Chicago cruised past New Orleans despite missing Josh Giddey, but the Bulls will have a much taller task in this game. The Magic are a much better defensive team than the Pelicans, and Orlando can score despite its poor 3-point shooting. Orlando leads the NBA in free-throw attempts per 100 possessions (.323), and the Magic turn the ball over on just 12.1% of their possessions (7th in the league).
Hereof, I’m going with the Magic. They are only 3-11 ATS in the last 14 games overall, but I think this is a nice spot for the Magic. The Bulls miss their best player, so I expect Chicago to struggle against the Magic’s defense.
Over/Under Pick for Magic vs. Bulls
- Under (4 units)
The Bulls are not a great defensive team by any stretch of the imagination. They play at the second-fastest pace in the NBA (102.7 possessions per 48 minutes) and make 36.3% of their shots from deep (tied for 12th), but the under has hit in four of their last five games overall and nine of their previous 10 outings at home.
Orlando registers 100.2 possessions per 48 minutes (tied for 14th). The Magic lean on their defense, and they will certainly look to slow things down a bit in this matchup. The under is 5-1 in Orlando’s last six games overall.
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