Wednesday night’s game between the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic included a couple of key injuries for both sides. For Orlando, they saw their star forward, Paolo Banchero, go down with a groin injury.
After undergoing testing on Thursday, the Magic landed a positive update on Banchero, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
An MRI confirmed a left groin strain, which will result in an absence this week. However, the Magic won’t place a long-term timeline on Banchero’s absence, as he’ll be “evaluated daily moving forward.”
Bacnhero left Wednesday’s game in New York after a 12-minute shift. At the time of his exit, he scored just four points, shooting 25 percent from the field. In addition to his scoring, Banchero came down with four rebounds, dished out two assists, and landed a block and a steal on the defensive end.
This season, Banchero has had luck in the health department, but his production is down. Through 12 games, he is averaging just 21.7 points, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. He’s been rebounding at a higher rate, coming down with 8.7 boards per game. He’s also producing 4.5 assists per game.
The injury blow is unfortunate timing for the Magic, who are beginning to bounce back after a slow start. Wednesday’s big win on the road against the Knicks was the second-straight victory for the Magic.
At this point in the year, the Magic are 6-6. Their next game will take place on Friday night at home, against the Brooklyn Nets. The matchup counts for the NBA Cup’s group stage. Since the Magic haven’t placed a timeline on Banchero’s absence, the earliest he could return to action is on Sunday, when the Magic take on the Houston Rockets. Beyond that, their next game will be played next Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors. By then, the Magic hope to have more clarity on Banchero’s recovery.
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