PHILADELPHIA — A year ago, Jalen Suggs could only watch as the Magic took down the Hawks in the NBA play-in tournament and eventually fell to the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
After missing the majority of last season due to a left knee injury, the Orlando guard has been more available this year appearing in the second-most regular season games of his career (57) and is now ready to help his team in the postseason.
“I’ve been waiting for this time of year all season,” Suggs told the Orlando Sentinel after shootaround ahead of Wednesday’s play-in against the 76ers inside Xfinity Mobile Arena. “I feel I was trying to wait to get this point. Now that it’s here, you can’t do anything but come out at tipoff and hoop.
“You can tell who’s ready and who’s energized and who’s ready to do the little things to win and who’s not in these games,” he added. “It’s much more apparent so I’m ready to hoop. I’m excited.”
Although he wasn’t part of last year’s group that battled Boston in the first round, Suggs did play all seven games of Orlando’s first round series in 2024 with the Cavaliers, who won Game 7 at home.
In his first taste of the playoffs, Suggs averaged 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 rebounds with 1.3 steals, but shot 29.2% from 3-point range per game against Cleveland.
He’s gained perspective from playing in that series and watching last year’s from the bench as well.
“Just knowing what it takes to win and knowing that that’s all it’s about, is the win,” Suggs said.
Winning and advancing beyond the first round is something the Magic still haven’t done under coach Jamahl Mosley, who’s in his fifth year at the helm.
Following two first-round exits, the pressure has only increased amid a turbulent season that’s included two separate four-game losing streaks and a six-game skid in March that sunk Orlando’s chances at avoiding the play-in.
The players themselves try their best to drown out the noise about what might happen if the Magic come up short of advancing in the postseason a third year in a row.
“Once the ball tips off, nothing else matters, to be honest,” Suggs said. “It’s literally just a game so all that other (expletive) is human nature. It’s impossible not to hear, but once the ball tips off and you walk in the arena come game day, all that other stuff doesn’t matter. It’s about handling the task and the day at hand. That’s how I try to approach it.
“All that is what it is but it’s just time to hoop,” he added. “I really don’t care.”
Suggs is just grateful to be on the court this time of the year and help the Magic on the court after he didn’t get that opportunity at the end of last season.
“It’s hard not to get excited, especially now that you’re really in it,” he said. “That there is nothing after the fact that you can say that you can make up for it in the next game.
“These are literally it.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com