Chicago Bulls: 3 Keys to Victory Against the Orlando Magic

The Chicago Bulls kick off a rapid succession of five games over six days tonight against the Orlando Magic.

This matchup features two of the Eastern Conference’s premier teams who both rely on stellar defense; in fact, these teams are currently No. 1 and No. 2 in points allowed so far this season.

Chicago is only giving up 86.6 points per game while Orlando is not far behind with 86.4.

Expect this game to be slow-paced and physical with the winner being the one who can take advantage of the few defensive lapses that may occur.

The Bulls could be at a bit of a disadvantage having playing more games over the past few days; however, if they can stick to a few key things, they should be able to pull out the win.

1) Don’t Focus on Dwight Howard Too Much

Dwight Howard has always been a match-up problem for Chicago’s frontcourt. He’s too strong and too athletic to be slowed down by any one of the Bulls big men.

One strategy that should be utilized is keeping a fresh body on Howard. Thibodeau may be tempted to stay with someone who proves effective in keeping up with Dwight, but that may prove detrimental if said defender gets into foul trouble or loses his edge due to fatigue.

Noah, Asik, and even Gibson at times should be frequently rotated on Howard giving him different looks and feels over the course of the game. This should keep him from getting into an established offensive rhythm and spreads out the amount of fouls the Bulls have to give at the center position.

Coach Thibodeau should also resist double-teaming Howard and have other defenders on the floor to always stick with their respective assignments. Dwight is good at passing out of the double team and Orlando has some sharp shooters that thrive off the inside-out pass. Limiting Orlando’s offensive options keeps the pressure of Howard to constantly produce.

Despite his efficiency, he's also prone to mistakes and mental lapses as the game progresses. Taking away his choices when he has the ball will lead to turnovers that the Bulls can capitalize on.

2) Take Advantage of Every Fast Break Opportunity

As already mentioned, these two teams are pretty even defensively. In a half-court set, Orlando does a good job of staying in front of their assignments, and of course, Dwight Howard rules the inside with an iron fist.

Chicago is going to have to move the ball well and shoot a very high percentage to stay alive in this contest. Points in the paint are going to be far and few between.

Thankfully, the Bulls are a great transition team.

At any given moment, the Bulls almost always have five players on the floor who can run the break. It’s not uncommon to see someone like Joakim Noah pick up a loose ball, dribble down the floor and dish it off for the finish.

It goes without question that Bulls will be playing tight defense around the key looking to knock the ball away from a handler or pick something off in the passing lanes.

In a game that has the potential to be low scoring, easy baskets will be a premium.

3) Maximize Depth

Remember, the Orlando Magic have only played one other game recently, and that means they may come in with fresher legs against Chicago. The biggest thing the Chicago Bulls have to counter this is a much deeper bench.

One of the biggest challenges of these multi-game blocks on every team’s schedule is skillfully managing players’ minutes. Coaches want to get the most from their most capable players, but they don’t want to risk burning them out or exposing them to injury unnecessarily.

Thibodeau has already received some backlash over keeping certain players on the court down the stretch of the Detroit game. The Pistons never really posed a comeback threat so seeing someone like Rose in with less than four minutes on the clock seemed a bit puzzling. Add to that the dinger he took on the elbow and it’s easy to see how fast things can turn ugly.

Chicago can be up to 10 players deep with rotation, and Tom Thibodeau should use as many as he can.

Give Orlando different looks offensively and defensively. Steal some rest for the key players to have them fresh and ready to go if some more late game heroics are needed.

Chicago is deeper than just about any team they play and should really start to take more advantage of that factor.

If the Bulls can get by Orlando, they have a good chance of running the table over the next six days taking their win streak into double digits.