The Magic are hoping the return of guard Jalen Suggs provides a boost following a stretch of games that has seen the team tread water in the Eastern Conference standings.
Suggs had missed the past eight games because of a right knee MCL bruise. He suffered that injury in just his second contest back from a seven-game absence due to a left hip bruise.
Orlando had gone 9-11 without Suggs on the floor this season and 14-9 with him entering Saturday’s game at Kia Center against the Cavaliers, who were playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
The All-Defensive guard averaged 15 points, 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 25.4 minutes per contest during his first 23 appearances.
“His defense is missed when he’s out,” third-year pro Anthony Black said after shootaround Saturday morning. “We’re just happy to have him back. We know it’s going to help us out tremendously.”
But Suggs making his way back to the court won’t solve all of Orlando’s problems.
The team was still without rising star forward Franz Wagner, who sat out his second game in a row due to left ankle soreness. Wagner previously missed 16 games because of a left high ankle sprain but returned for two before lingering soreness occurred.
In addition, the Magic have struggled at the start of games as of late, which has led to deficits too large to overcome at times.
Prior to facing Cleveland, Orlando had been outscored by a combined 48 points in the first quarters of the past three games when the team went 1-2 in that stretch (it split a pair of games with Memphis in Europe and lost at home to Charlotte on Thursday).
“Not saying because he wasn’t out there that’s why we’re having slow starts or not saying because he is out there it’s going to fix the problem,” veteran guard Tyus Jones said Saturday. “That’s not fair to him; that’s not fair to the rest of the team. We have to be able to do it no matter the lineup that’s in, but he does bring, obviously, that grit [and] that toughness.
“He’s just a fiery competitor,” Jones added. “He’s going to bring that energy. You know that he’s going to be ready to play. It’ll help us for sure to get going to start the game and get off on the right note.”
After facing the Cavaliers at home on Saturday, the sides are scheduled to meet again Monday on Peacock at Cleveland. The Magic will play at Miami on Wednesday.
TV update
Friday’s game at Kia Center between the Magic and the Raptors now will be televised by ESPN and tip off at 7:30 p.m., the league said. It was originally scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
The game can also be seen locally on FanDuel Sports Network Florida, the team said.
Magic spread cheer at local hospital
Magic two-way players Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson, along with team community ambassador Bo Outlaw and members of the 321 Hype Team, visited young patients at AdventHealth for Children on Friday.
They made slime with a group of kids, shared jokes and handed out Magic goodies including Stuff the Mascot plushies.
“It’s bigger than basketball at the end of the day,” Robinson said. “The fact that we can come in here and show love and spend some time with some people and give back, it’s a good opportunity to do it.”
Added Cain: “You never know what someone is going through or what a family is going through, so just trying to raise the energy in their life, even if it’s just for a moment.”
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com
Up next …
Magic at Cavaliers
When: Monday, 7 p.m.
TV: Peacock, FanDuel Sports Network Florida
