When Jalen Suggs walked off the court Friday night as the final buzzer sounded securing a 105-98 victory in favor of the Magic against the Nets, the Orlando guard was seen favoring his right side.
Suggs, however, wasn’t listed on the team’s initial injury report Saturday ahead of Sunday’s road game at Houston, an early indication he’d be good to go against the Rockets.
But that quickly changed in the hours leading up to tip-off Sunday when the Magic announced around noon they had ruled Suggs out due to a sore right groin.
Suggs is the second member of the Magic to deal with a groin injury in the first 14 games of the season. Orlando was already going to be without Paolo Banchero for a second straight contest because of a left groin strain he suffered Wednesday at New York.
Although his minutes per night have increased each time he’s stepped on the court, Suggs is still “for the most part” on a minutes restriction, Mosley said Friday, as the guard continues to work back to his former self after surgery to repair a left knee cartilage tear that shortened his 2024-25 campaign to just 35 games.
Suggs is averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals during 22.1 minutes per contest across 10 games, sitting out twice on the second nights of separate back-to-backs to manage his past left knee injury.
When the Magic return to Kia Center, an opportunity awaits them.
In a three-game homestand, Orlando hosts the Warriors on Tuesday, the Clippers two days later and the Knicks on Saturday.
Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Jamahl Mosley‘s squad was 27-10 in the month of the November entering its matchup with the Rockets.
Although the Magic learned the hard way last season just how explosive future Hall of Famer Stephen Curry still can be at this point in his career (Curry notched 56 points in a road win last February), Golden State was only 3-6 on the road entering Sunday’s contest at New Orleans.
Meanwhile, the Clippers were 3-7 in their last 10 games and 1-6 in their last seven ahead of a Sunday matinee matchup at Boston. Los Angeles recently lost former UF star Bradley Beal for the season due to a hip fracture.
New York is also dealing with a key injury of its own. ESPN reported Sunday morning that forward OG Anunoby will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to a left hamstring strain. Anunoby recorded 8 points on 2-for-4 shooting from 3-point range, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks during last Wednesday’s home loss to Orlando.
While there are flaws in each of the next three Magic opponents, the team’s success will ultimately rely upon their own execution on both ends of the court.
And now they’ll have to monitor the health of both Banchero and Suggs as the team returns home.
Prior to Sunday’s game at Houston, the Magic were 6-2 when making 10 or more 3-point field goals, but 2-4 when recording fewer assists than their opponent.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up next …
Magic vs. Warriors
When: 7, Tuesday, Kia Center
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida