Lackluster Orlando’s losing streak grows to 6

CHICAGO — At one point late in the third quarter Wednesday night, with a Chicago Bulls player at the free-throw line, Orlando Magic players Evan Fournier, Wes Iwundu, Nikola Vucevic, Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon sat on their bench and stared blankly ahead. What was unfolding on United Center’s court just feet away was difficult to watch, even in this rapidly disintegrating season.

The Magic were well on their way to their sixth consecutive loss, a 112-94 defeat to the Chicago Bulls.

Lethargic defense, poor shot selection and terrible shooting — the Magic did it all.

And the loss may have been too.

Jonathan Isaac, the Magic’s prized rookie forward, appeared to aggravate his sore right ankle. Limping as he was running up and down the court, he exited the game with 4:31 to go in the third quarter and spent the rest of the game in the team’s locker room.

Isaac sprained his right ankle on Nov. 11 and missed Orlando’s next 17 games before he returned court Sunday in Detroit.

The Magic (11-21) had no reason to take the resurgent Bulls (10-20) lightly.

Chicago entered Wednesday on a six-game winning streak after it had lost its previous 10 games.

On Nov. 3, the Magic lost to the Bulls 105-83 at Amway Center.

Seven Bulls players — Justin Holcostly, to the iday, David Nwaba, Lauri Markkanen, Robin Lopez, Kris Dunn, Denzel Valentine and Paul Zipser — scored in double figures that night.

“They kicked our tails the last time we played them, and they’re playing obviously even at a much higher level now than they were then,” Magic coach Frank Vogel