AJ Dybantsa’s first regular-season game for the Wizards will have to wait.
Washington ruled out the No. 1 overall pick for Friday’s matchup with Toronto, marking the second straight game he’ll miss while he works back from a left ankle sprain suffered in the team’s preseason finale last week in Washington. Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported the decision.
The Wizards will also be without big man Tristan Vukcevic, who is dealing with a left hip impingement. Rookie center Felix Okpara is listed as questionable because of an illness.
Elsewhere around the league, the Mavericks are again dealing with multiple absences. Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberovic, Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin will all miss a second consecutive game with their respective injuries, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic.
Aldama has right knee surgery, Biberovic right heel bursitis, Lively right foot surgery and Martin a right thumb sprain. Two-way player Jett Howard is doubtful with right calf soreness.
Clark noted it’s the first game of a back-to-back for Dallas, and Kyrie Irving is not on the injury report.
In Indiana, backup point guard T.J. McConnell will sit out Friday’s home opener against Dallas after missing the Pacers’ season opener on Wednesday.
The team said McConnell is still bothered by a right hamstring strain. There’s some movement on the rest of the backcourt, though: Aaron Nesmith has been upgraded to questionable with a left hamstring strain, while Ben Sheppard, who played Wednesday, has been downgraded to questionable because of a sore left knee.
Orlando got a more encouraging note with Anthony Black, who was a full participant in Thursday’s practice, though it was described by head coach Sean Sweeney as more of a walkthrough than a hard session. Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel reported that Black is making progress from a right ankle sprain, but he’ll still be out Friday against Minnesota after missing the home opener and the entire preseason. Jonathan Isaac remains out as well, sidelined for injury management involving his left knee.
In Other News...
Paolo Looked Ready But The Magics Opener Raised A Bigger Concern
Paolo Banchero looked every bit like the centerpiece Orlando wants him to be in the season opener, carrying the offense in a 132-125 loss to the Hawks. He poured in 35 points and helped steady a team that needed scoring from its star from the opening night, but even that kind of production was not enough to cover for a game that got away from the Magic late.
Sean Sweeneys first regular-season game as Orlandos head coach also brought some early rotation curiosity, with Jase Richardson getting a turn in the mix. The rookies minutes were limited, but the decision to get him on the floor was notable in a tight opener, especially on a night when the Magic were searching for the right combinations around Banchero and trying to make sense of the parts that still need to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Must Clean Up One Costly Problem Before Timberwolves Test
The free-throw issues from Orlandos season-opening loss to Atlanta did not just show up in the box score, they carried straight into practice. Sean Sweeney and the Magic spent time addressing the things that can tilt a game early in the year, from missed free throws to defense and turnovers, while the group turned its attention to a Minnesota Timberwolves matchup that already looks like an important measuring stick.
Fridays test comes with some lineup uncertainty, too, as the Magic continue to sort through injuries while trying to tighten the details. For a team that expects to lean on physical defense and cleaner execution, the challenge is not only playing the Timberwolves, but doing it while closing the gap on the little mistakes that can add up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Paolo Delivered But The Magic Already Have A Bigger Concern
Paolo Banchero gave Orlando plenty to build on in its own opener, but the bigger picture around the Magic could be tougher to ignore after seeing how the rest of the league is already shaking out. In Dallas, Kyrie Irving returned to regular-season action for the first time since tearing his ACL on March 3, and he looked like a player still being carefully eased back in, finishing with 15 points, four rebounds and two assists in the Mavericks' loss to the Rockets.
The Mavericks were outplayed after the first quarter as Houston steadily opened up a comfortable halftime cushion, and the evening offered a reminder that Irvings workload will likely be managed closely in the games ahead. Dallas got support from Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall, but the larger concern for Orlando is more familiar: the East is going to be competitive, and the margin for mistakes can disappear quickly if the Magic do not keep stacking complete performances. [Read more 🡒]