Magic 111, Bulls 89
ORLANDO -- Center Dewayne Dedmon scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds in leading the Orlando Magic to an easy, 111-89 victory over the hapless Chicago Bulls.
The Magic (30-43) snapped a six-game losing streak. The Bulls (36-36) lost their third consecutive game as their once-legitimate playoff hopes continued to fade.
Dedmon, in his third NBA season, made nine of 14 shots and played only 22 minutes. He was starting in place of injured Nikola Vucevic.
Point guard Elfrid Payton had 15 points and 10 assists. Evan Fournier scored 12 points. Reserve center Jason Smith had 14 points and five rebounds. Reserve Andrew Nicholson had 14 points and six rebounds. The starters did not play in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls, who never seriously challenged in the second half, were led by Taj Gibson with 16 points. Jimmy Butler had 12 points. Mike Dunleavy had 10 points. Reserve Doug McDermott had 12 points. Reserve Aaron Brooks was ejected in the final minute after his second technical foul.
The Magic, who lost Friday night in Miami, led by as many as 29 points early in the fourth quarter.
The Magic scored the first 11 points in the fourth to open a 100-71 lead. The Bulls didn't score in the fourth until McDermott hit a 3-pointer with 7:02 remaining.
After trailing by 18 at halftime, the Bulls closed to nine points midway in the third quarter. The Magic, though, made a 10-0 run late in the period and rebuilt an 89-69 lead. They led by 18 going into the fourth.
The Magic led, 68-50, at halftime after hitting 30 of their 48 shots (62.5 percent). Dedmon, whose previous career high was 12 points, had 16 points and 10 rebounds by intermission. He had 10 points in the first quarter.
The Magic led by as many as 20 points in the second period after Fournier completed a 3-point play and Mario Hezonja followed with a 3-point basket.
The Magic made 16 of their 22 shots (72.7 percent) in the first quarter, showing no sign of fatigue after losing Friday night in Miami. The Bulls were coming off back-to-back losses to the New York Knicks.
The Bulls got 10 points apiece from Gibson and Butler in the first half, but they hardly challenged early.
NOTES: Bulls C Pau Gasol returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games (both losses) with swelling in his right knee. ... SG Jimmy Butler, the Bulls' best player, said Saturday morning that his recent struggles might be mental as well as physical. Butler has looked tentative in the seven games since returning from a knee bruise that cost him 13 games earlier this season. "I don't know if it's still hurting, or it's all in my mind," Butler said. "I don't know what to call it. I just have to go play and stop worrying about it." ... Magic rookie G Mario Hezonja got his seventh start of the season Saturday, filling in this time for G Victor Oladipo, who missed his second consecutive game with a sore right wrist. ... Rockets C Dwight Howard, who can become a free agent this summer, is considering a return to Orlando, according to the Bleacher Report. Howard spent eight seasons with the Magic but refused to sign a contract extension and was traded to the Lakers in 2012. ... The Bulls and Magic split their two earlier meetings. Last season, they split four games.