Second-year guard Jalen Suggs’ return from his ankle damage and Wendell Carter Jr. tying his profession excessive in factors weren’t sufficient to place the Orlando Magic over the hump in opposition to the Thunder in Oklahoma Metropolis.
Suggs, who was sidelined for the earlier 5 video games due to a sprained proper ankle, returned Tuesday to present the Magic guard depth they’ve missed however they blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead, falling to the Thunder 116-108 to drop to 1-7.
Suggs had 9 factors on 3-of-14 capturing (1 of 9 on 3s) to go along with 4 assists, 4 turnovers and a pair of steals.
He got here off the bench, with the jumbo lineup of Carter, Franz Wagner, Terrence Ross, Paolo Banchero and Bol Bol beginning for the third consecutive recreation.
Carter led the Magic with 30 factors, tying a career-high he set final season in opposition to the Thunder, and 12 rebounds.
However the Magic’s turnovers (25 for 30 Thunder factors) and poor offensive government down the stretch undid them. Orlando, which led 104-93 with 7:26 remaining, didn’t make a discipline aim within the ultimate seven minutes.
The Thunder (4-3) have been led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 34 factors and 6 assists.
Tuesday was Suggs’ first recreation since spraining his proper ankle on a drive to the basket throughout the third quarter of the Magic’s loss to the Hawks on Oct. 21 in Atlanta.
Cole Anthony (torn proper inside indirect), Markelle Fultz (fractured left massive toe), Gary Harris (left knee damage restoration), Jonathan Isaac (left knee damage restoration) and Moe Wagner (sprained proper midfoot) stay sidelined.
Second-year guard Josh Giddey additionally returned Tuesday for the Thunder after lacking three video games due to a sprained proper ankle. Chet Holmgren (proper foot surgical procedure — out for season), the No. 2 decide in June’s draft, was sidelined for Oklahoma Metropolis.
Suggs performed within the Magic’s first two video games. He scored 21 factors (8 of 11 capturing, 4 of 6 on 3s) in 25 minutes earlier than fouling out within the fourth quarter of the regular-season-opening loss to the Detroit Pistons and had 3 factors (1 of 5 capturing) and three steals in 16 minutes in opposition to the Hawks earlier than his damage.
Suggs wasn’t too far faraway from a left knee damage — a capsule sprain and bone bruise — he suffered throughout the Magic’s preseason win over the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 7. He missed the ultimate two preseason video games however was cleared for the regular-season opener.
“It says lots about our efficiency workers, what they’re pushing him to do and the best way he’s keen to proceed to work,” coach Jamahl Mosley stated pregame about Suggs getting back from his accidents rapidly. “Possibly it’s a few of the soccer stuff that he can bounce off these accidents early.”
Suggs, the No. 5 decide in 2021 who was Mr. Soccer in highschool, had an up-and-down rookie season partially due to accidents that restricted him to 48 video games.
He was sidelined for 20 video games from early December by means of mid-January after fracturing his proper thumb and handled accidents to his proper ankle that sidelined him for 13 of the ultimate 18 video games.
Suggs had surgical procedure to deal with a stress fracture in his proper ankle — the identical one he injured 1 ½ weeks in the past — early within the offseason, limiting his participation in basketball actions over the summer season.
Magic companion with PureCycle
The Magic are partnering with PureCycle Applied sciences to assist “divert plastic waste from being landfilled or flowing into Central Florida waterways,” the workforce stated in an announcement.
Via the partnership, the Magic will change into the primary NBA workforce to implement PureCycle’s “PureZero waste” program, a plastic waste recycling program geared towards stadiums and leisure venues.
The partnership with PureCycle, an Orlando-based firm, will goal to scale back the quantity of plastic waste this season by implementing “an progressive sustainability plan” for Amway Heart.
As a part of their partnership, workers members from the 2 organizations are also teaming as much as clear up the Parramore neighborhood Wednesday morning.
This text first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. E mail Khobi Value at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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