The Orlando Magic’s NBA Cup run ended in more ways than one Friday night in Las Vegas. Not only did they fall to the New York Knicks in the semifinals, but they also watched one of their most important players-Jalen Suggs-exit with a concerning injury that left the team shaken.
The moment came in the second half, with Suggs fighting through contact and appearing to tweak his hip. He tried to push through it, but it was clear something wasn’t right.
He grimaced, moved gingerly, and eventually made his way to the locker room. He wouldn’t return.
Shortly after, the Magic officially ruled him out for the rest of the game. And while the scoreboard still had time left, the emotional air had already left the building for Orlando.
Suggs isn’t just a top-tier perimeter defender-he’s the team’s emotional engine, a player whose energy sets the tone on both ends of the floor. Losing him in the middle of a high-stakes game like this was a gut punch.
Before the injury, Suggs was electric. He dropped 25 of his 26 points in the first half, keeping Orlando afloat and giving them a fighting chance against a Knicks team that was locked in and led by the steady hand of Jalen Brunson.
Suggs was aggressive, confident, and playing some of the best basketball of his young career. Then, just like that, it stopped.
He logged only limited minutes in the second half before the injury forced him out, and by the time the final buzzer sounded, the result felt secondary. The conversation had already shifted away from the loss and onto Suggs’ health.
The scene after the game was sobering-Suggs leaving the arena in a wheelchair. There’s no official word yet on the severity, but the optics alone were enough to raise concern. He’s expected to undergo further testing, and until then, the Magic are left waiting.
This is a team that came into the NBA Cup with real momentum and growing belief. Suggs has been at the heart of that rise, both as a defensive disruptor and a leader whose toughness resonates with the rest of the roster.
His presence matters. A lot.
For now, Orlando’s focus isn’t on what could’ve been in the Cup-it’s on what comes next for one of their most important players. And they’ll be hoping that what looked bad in the moment turns out to be less severe than feared.