Wendell Carter Jr. secured the rebound off Paolo Banchero’s missed shot, appearing to have a chance to send the game into overtime. However, as he came down and attempted a putback dunk, time had already run out, sealing a 125-123 win for the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Fans wasted no time taking to social media to criticize Carter Jr.’s costly mistake.
Wendell Carter has the chance to tie the game with a putback but instead of going up in one motion he comes down with the ball and Orlando drops a horrible game. pic.twitter.com/E3kLPrNEE3
— Richard Staple, BSN, RN
(@RichStapless) March 7, 2025
Fans taking out their frustration on Wendell Carter Jr.
“WENDELL CARTER WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW YOU DONT HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THAT??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote.
“Wendell Carter 0 awareness on what’s going on” another user chimed in.
“Wendell Carter turned himself into a real Muppet #bulls” added another user.
The Magic’s losing streak extended to five games, pushing them to 29-35 and ninth in the Eastern Conference. Orlando managed just one win in seven games during this lengthy homestand. Four of those six defeats were decided by a single possession.
All five Orlando starters contributed at least 17 points. Cole Anthony and star forward Paolo Banchero led the way with 20 points each, though Banchero struggled from the field, hitting just 5 of 15 shots while converting 10 of 11 free throws. The Magic also struggled from beyond the arc, sinking only nine of their 33 three-point attempts.
Thanks to sharp ball movement, better shooting, and Chicago’s 26th-ranked defense, the Magic reached 100 points in under three quarters. This marks just the third time they’ve achieved this feat this season, with two of those occasions coming against the Bulls.
The Orlando Magic’s continuing slide in the standings
The Orlando Magic put up at least 31 points in each of the first three quarters, building a five-point advantage. However, the Magic struggled in the final stretch, managing just 22 points. The Bulls controlled the boards, outrebounding Orlando 58-45, including 13 offensive rebounds off long misses.
Orlando’s grip on the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference is becoming increasingly unstable. While the Magic are still expected to be among the lower seeds in the NBA play-in tournament, slipping to No. 9 or No. 10 would force them to win an extra game to claim the final playoff spot. Finishing at No. 7 or No. 8, however, would put them just one victory away from securing the seventh seed outright.
The Magic’s upcoming schedule doesn’t offer much relief, as their five-game road trip features tough matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks (36-25), Houston Rockets (37-25), Minnesota Timberwolves (35-29), and the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers (52-10).
Coby White did most of the heavy lifting for the Bulls, pouring in a career-best 44 points while leading a group of five Chicago players in double figures. He also knocked down seven of the team’s 15 three-pointers.
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