Magic Beat Bulls 127-103, Tie for East's Sixth Seed

The Orlando Magic kept their hopes alive for a direct playoff berth with a decisive 127-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, moving into a tie for the Eastern Conference's sixth seed with one game left in the regular season. The win, Orlando's fifth in a row, improved their record to 45-36 and positioned them level with the Toronto Raptors, who hold the tiebreaker. The Magic can secure the No. 6 spot and avoid the play-in tournament if they defeat the Boston Celtics on Sunday and Toronto loses to Brooklyn.

Franz Wagner led Orlando with 25 points, while Jamal Cain added 20 in the win. Paolo Banchero contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Jalen Suggs scored all 12 of his points in the third quarter, including four 3-pointers that helped the Magic pull away to an 80-61 lead. Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley emphasized the need for focus against Boston's stout defense. "If we can take care of the basketball and play the right way, we give ourselves a chance every single night," Mosley said. "The difference is they get to the paint and they shoot the 3. So we have to make sure the game plan is tight, our communication is at a high level and we are...