The last time I watched the Orlando Magic in Chicago (New Year’s Eve 2008); I wrote that the Magic embarrassed the Bulls. They beat the Bulls by 19 points that day. Last night the Bulls defeated the Magic 120-102 in similar fashion. It was the Bulls first win in seven games and the first win at home in six home games versus the Magic. The Bulls scored 30+ points in three quarters – almost unheard of for an NBA game these days.

Parking and Obtaining Tickets
I parked in my usual parking lot. Before the season I bought 20 United Center parking passes from Red Top Parking. Instead of paying $12 per game, I pay $10.40 for buying in bulk. Plus, I get to park in “VIP” parking at the front of the parking lot. Red Top owns a few other lots around the United Center. I choose this lot because it is easy to get to from my house.

I already had my ticket for last night. As I wrote for other Bulls games, I bought $10 tickets for games during the week throughout the season. Last night there were a lot of scalpers with extra tickets, but through my experience it is generally difficult to beat $10 for a ticket unless you find a free one from a fan. The face value on your ticket will be higher than $10 if you buy from a scalper, but I sit in the better seats anyway.

Benny the Bull’s Birthday
Last night was Benny the Bull’s birthday for everyone who likes the entertainment at an NBA game more than the game itself. At halftime, Benny competed in a slam dunk contest with three other mascots – Blaze, Boomer, and Crunch. Benny, of course, won after he threw a ball from half way up the first level to his teammate from the Chicago Bulls slam dunk team.