Orlando Magic’s Jalen Suggs Suffers Injury in NBA Cup Semifinal Loss to New York Knicks
The Orlando Magic’s chances of advancing in the NBA Cup semifinals took a significant hit on Saturday, as they not only lost to the New York Knicks but also saw their starting point guard, Jalen Suggs, exit the game with a left hip injury. The Magic will now head back to Orlando to evaluate the extent of Suggs’ injury and determine how long he may be sidelined.
Suggs had a spectacular first half, scoring 25 points and going shot for shot with Knicks star Jalen Brunson. However, his night was cut short when he suffered the injury in the third quarter. Despite attempting to play through the pain, Suggs was eventually forced to leave the game and was in obvious discomfort in the locker room afterward.
Injury Concerns for Suggs
Suggs has struggled with injuries throughout his NBA career, missing at least 20 games in three of his first four seasons. He spent most of October working his way back from surgery to repair a knee injury that ended his season in January. The Magic will be hoping that this latest injury is not too severe and that Suggs can return to the court soon.
“It’s the part that sucks the most,” Suggs said of having to miss time with an injury. “I truly tried [to play]. There’s nowhere else I would have rather been than on the court battling with my guys, especially in a close game. But [God] be having other plans, and I can’t be mad at his plans.” Suggs shut down any further questions about the injury, saying “I don’t even know, we’ll figure out what it is.”
Support from Teammates
Suggs’ teammates were quick to offer their support, praising his effort and dedication to the team. “He’s been battling through some pain the last few games,” said Magic forward Paolo Banchero. “He’s just been giving it his all for the team and kind of playing through it, so you hope it’s not too bad, whatever the injury is. We don’t want to lose him.” Guard Desmond Bane added, “We know who he is, and what he’s about. He wants to win more than anything… he laid it all on the line for us.”
The Magic will now wait anxiously to learn the extent of Suggs’ injury and how it may impact their chances of advancing in the NBA Cup. With their starting point guard potentially sidelined, the team will need to rally together and find a way to overcome this latest setback.
