Here's everything you need to know before the Bulls face the Magic on Friday night:
The Bulls may be shorthanded, but they're not yet ready to throw in the towel on the 2025-26 season.
Despite the turbulence of long winning streaks and long losing streaks, a plethora of close defeats and injuries to the team's starting backcourt, Chicago currently sits as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference at 16-17. Depending on how long Josh Giddey (hamstring) and Coby White (calf) are out, that standing could certainly dip, but the Bulls are coming off a win in which their bench showed out.
Isaac Okoro led the way with a season-high 24 points in Chicago's 134-118 win over the Pelicans on New Year's Eve. Matas Buzelis (19 points) and Nikola Vucevic (17) chipped in solid contributions as well. But the story was the Bulls' reserves, who supplemented the absence of Giddey and White with admirable relief performances.
Tre Jones took advantage of his opportunity to start at point guard, dropping 20 points on a flawless 7-of-7 shooting and dishing out 12 assists. Jalen Smith logged a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards, while Kevin Huerter, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams all scored in double figures off the bench.
The Bulls have the opportunity to return to .500 on Friday when they host the Magic. Orlando is in a three-way tie for the No. 5 seed in the East, but is just 5-5 in its last 10 games. The Magic will be without star forward Franz Wagner against Chicago, as he is recovering from a high ankle sprain.
Here's how you can watch the Bulls take on the Magic in each team's first contest of 2026:
How to Watch
Orlando Magic (19-15) @ Chicago Bulls (16-17)
Location: United Center | Chicago, Illinois
Tipoff: Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: Chicago Sports Network | Announcers: Adam Amin, Stacey King
Radio: WSCR AM 670 | Announcers: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington
Bulls Spanish Radio: WRTO 1200 AM | Announcers: Miguel Esparza, Elio Benitez
Line: Magic -4.5
Over/Under: 237.5
Injury Report
Chicago Bulls:
- Zach Collins: Out (Sprained Right Big Toe)
- Noa Essengue: Out (Left Shoulder Surgery)
- Trentyn Flowers: Out (Right Knee Sprain)
- Josh Giddey: Out (Left Hamstring Strain)
- Emanuel Miller: Out (G League/Two-Way)
- Lachlan Olbrich: Out (Left Ankle Sprain)
- Coby White: Out (Right Calf Tightness)
Orlando Magic:
- Colin Castleton: Out (G League/Two-Way)
- Jonathan Isaac: Questionable (Left Knee Soreness)
- Franz Wagner: Out (Left High Ankle Sprain)
- Mo Wagner: Out (Left Knee Recovery)
Last Game Starters
Chicago Bulls vs. New Orleans Pelicans (Dec. 31)
- G Tre Jones
- F Isaac Okoro
- F Matas Buzelis
- C Jalen Smith
- C Nikola Vucevic
Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers (Dec. 31)
- G Jalen Suggs
- G Anthony Black
- G Desmond Bane
- F Paolo Banchero
- C Wendell Carter Jr.