Magic 114, Bulls 95: Wagner brothers help Magic get much-needed home victory

The Amway Center drought is over.

The Magic snapped a nine-game home losing streak that dated back to December 1 by defeating the Bulls, 114-95, on Sunday night.

The Magic, playing without Terrence Ross and Gary Harris, had seven players in double figures as Orlando outscored the shorthanded Bulls 51-10 in bench points. But it was these two who initially turned the game around...

It was a slow start for the Magic, who made just one of their first nine shots and trailed 10-2 midway through the first quarter.

After Mo Bamba picked up three fouls in the opening 4:30, Moe Wagner checked in and provided an instant spark, scoring seven quick points during a 10-0 Orlando run. Franz Wagner soon got in on the action, cutting to the basket and receiving a pretty lead pass from his big brother for the one-handed slam.

The brothers went on to account for 17 of Magic’s 23 first-quarter points, with Moe scoring 11 on 4-for-4 shooting and Franz adding six, as Orlando took a 23-19 lead after one.

After the Bulls briefly went back in front in the second, threes by Chuma Okeke and Ignas Brazdeikis bookended a 10-0 Magic run for a 40-31 advantage. Okeke and Wendell Carter Jr. each scored eight points in the quarter, including back-to-back threes during an 11-0 run that gave the Magic a 53-37 lead that they’d take into the half.

Okeke and Carter combined to go 6-for-7 from the field in the quarter for the Magic. Orlando shot 60 percent in the second overall, which along with 12 Bulls turnovers, helped to overcome the hot shooting of DeMar DeRozan, who had 20 first-half points en route to a season-high 41. DeRozan and Coby White (10 first-half points) got little help from their teammates, particularly Nikola Vucevic, who was limited to five points on 2-for-9 shooting in the half.

The Magic lead reached 20 midway through the third when Admiral Schofield drained a three to make it 71-61. A quick 13-0 run by the Bulls - during which Moe Wagner and DeRozan had to be separated following a hard foul by Wagner that led to double technicals and a clear path foul - cut the Orlando lead in eight on a Vooch three. Brazdeikis answered with a big three of his own to push the lead back to double figures at 74-64. Okeke followed with another three, and Schofield then found Cole Anthony on the fast break for a dunk that capped an 8-0 Magic run and pushed the lead back to 15.

The Magic outshot the Bulls by a wide margin in the third - 61.1 percent to 40 percent - but were outscored 37-32 thanks to an 11-point advantage at the free throw line for the Bulls, who went 17-for-18 from the stripe. Still, Orlando led 85-74 heading into the fourth.

Moe Wagner drew back-to-back offensive fouls on Vucevic early in the fourth, adding to what was a rough night for the former Magic All-Star. Vucevic fouled out later in the fourth, finishing with 13 points and 13 rebounds while shooting just 4-for-19.

Jalen Suggs, who was held to one point in the first half after shooting 0-for-4 from the field, came alive offensively in the fourth. He scored 11 of his 15 points in the quarter, including this dunk that got the crowd on its feet...

Suggs added a few more crowd-pleasing fourth-quarter dunks (one of the 360 variety) to go along with seven assists and five rebounds.

Moe Wagner finished with a team-high 23 points in 25 minutes for the Magic, who shot 52.5 percent from the field, including 12-for-26 from three. Franz had 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. Carter Jr. added 19 points and seven rebounds. Anthony, Okeke and Brazdeikis, who made all three of his attempts from deep, each had 11 points.

The crowd gave the Magic a standing ovation as the final seconds ticked off the clock

They’ll look for another win on their home court when Orlando’s five-game homestand continues Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.