Wednesday marked three weeks since Magic forward Paolo Banchero suffered a left groin strain against the Knicks, and the Orlando star is still waiting to do contact work in practice, according to coach Jamahl Mosley.
Banchero on Tuesday was ruled out of his 10th consecutive contest, with the Magic hosting the Spurs on Wednesday night. His non-contact work has included running and jumping.
“At the end of the day, we always try to see how he’s responding to each day and how he recovers that next day after he’s gone through treatments and workouts,” Mosley said after Wednesday morning shootaround at the AdventHealth Training Center.
Entering its matchup with San Antonio, Orlando had gone 7-2 with Banchero out the last nine games. Despite their recent success, the Magic had already begun to figure out a pathway to success going 5-2 before his injury following a 1-4 start to the season.
Still, the Magic want Banchero back in the fold when he’s ready to return.
“We miss him, there’s no mistakes about that one,” Mosley said. “What we’ve also talked about is that it’s always the next man up mentality. Who can step up in those moments?
“Because you’re not going to replace the things that he does on the floor by one individual,” he added. “You have to do it by committee and that’s what this group has done.”
Penda’s play
Included in the group of players who’ve stepped up for the Magic is rookie Noah Penda.
“A perfect example of that was the other night with Noah Penda not getting a ton of minutes and then stepping in and starring in his role,” Mosley said about the French forward who posted 5 points and five rebounds during 11 minutes across the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters against Chicago on Monday.
The second round pick has played double-digit minutes in three of the past four games, averaging 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and two assists during 18.7 minutes per game in that short stretch.
“Noah’s been playing really well,” Franz Wagner said Wednesday morning. “He’s proven that he can play important minutes.”
Wagner update
Older brother Moe Wagner continues to do non-contact work in practice as he rehabs a torn left ACL he suffered almost a year ago.
Mosley said Wagner’s next steps include getting in some one-on-one drills on the court at some point before shifting to contact work and eventually five-on-five play at a later time.
“Slowly but surely he’s working his way back,” Mosley said about the Magic center. “His spirit has been great. His work ethic has been fantastic. So, Moe’s a guy that continues to bring the energy whether he’s playing or not, and that’s what we need from him.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
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