The Orlando Magic left Madison Square Garden with a 111-102 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday, but the result came with a heavy concern attached. Jalen Suggs went down with a non-contact injury late in the fourth quarter, turning a strong road victory into a situation the Magic now have to monitor closely.
The play looked innocuous until it didn’t. With about two minutes remaining, Suggs sprinted ahead in transition, lined up for what should have been an easy uncontested layup, and then his right knee buckled. He hit the floor in obvious pain and stayed there grimacing, a scary scene for a team that can’t afford another setback.
Suggs was productive before the injury, finishing with four points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals in 34 minutes. Orlando has not issued an official update on the 25-year-old guard as of this writing.
The injury adds to an already frustrating stretch for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is already dealing with an ankle injury suffered against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, and he could miss up to six weeks.
Suggs has had his own share of knee trouble over the last two years, a stretch that limited him to a combined 92 games and stalled his rise. Last season, he averaged 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and career-highs of 5.5 assists and 1.8 steals in 57 games.
If Suggs is out for any length of time, Anthony Black is the likely candidate to move into the starting lineup. Jase Richardson, Jevon Carter, and Alex Morales would handle the reserve minutes. Black was available against the Knicks after missing Orlando’s first two games with an ankle injury.
For now, the win gets Orlando into the standings at 1-2, but the bigger question is what the knee injury means going forward. The Magic return to action Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.
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The timing could hardly be tougher, with road games coming against the Knicks and Raptors and little room for the Magic to ease into the next stretch. Banchero has been central to what Orlando does at both ends, so the challenge now is less about one loss and more about how the group responds while one of its main pieces is out of the mix. [Read more 🡒]