Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – Jameer Nelson scored a game-high 24 points and handed out nine assists, while Vince Carter provided 22 points and six rebounds as Orlando spoiled the season debut of Carlos Boozer in a 107-78 demolition of Chicago at the United Center.
Dwight Howard added 13 points and 12 rebounds and Rashard Lewis chipped in with 13 points for the Magic, who have won five in a row.
Joakim Noah scored 16 points and Derrick Rose provided 15 in defeat for the Bulls, who returned home after a 4-3 road trip.
Boozer scored five points and grabbed two rebounds in just under 22 minutes.
Orlando put together a 14-5 run to forge a 17-10 lead just past the midpoint of the first quarter and held a 28-22 advantage behind eight points from Carter after the first 12 minutes.
The Magic opened the second quarter with a 16-4 run to extend their lead to 18 with five minutes to play before the intermission. Carter started the surge with a bucket and a pair of foul shots and Brandon Bass closed it with a dunk. The visitors took a 61-37 lead into the break after the Bulls made only 6- of-20 shots in the period.
The visitors pushed their lead to as many as 27 in the third quarter and took an 85-62 lead into the fourth period.
Chicago would get no closer than 18 in the fourth quarter as the Magic improved to 5-2 on the road.
Boozer had successful surgery to repair the fifth metacarpal in early October and missed the first 15 games of the season…Taj Gibson, with 10 points, was the only other Chicago player to reach double figures…Orlando knocked down 10-of-21 from three-point territory while the Bulls were 4-of-11…The Magic made 23-of-24 free-throw attempts…Nelson connected on 8-of-11 from the floor…Bass had 17 points and five boards off the bench in the win for the Magic, who have taken 10 of the last 12 meetings.