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Evan Fournier returns with big effort against Italy

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLEANS, FRANCE - AUGUST 08: Evan Fournier #10 of France is at the basket against Dragan Bender #15 and Dario Saric #9 of Croatia during the international friendly game between France v Croatia at Palais des Sports on August 8, 2017 in Orleans, France. (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)
ORLEANS, FRANCE - AUGUST 08: Evan Fournier #10 of France is at the basket against Dragan Bender #15 and Dario Saric #9 of Croatia during the international friendly game between France v Croatia at Palais des Sports on August 8, 2017 in Orleans, France. (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images) /
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Any concerns about an injury to Evan Fournier disappeared quickly. Fournier played well in a France victory over Italy as Eurobasket creeps closer.

Orlando Magic fans surely wanted to see a classic one-on-one battle between Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic when France took on Montenegro on Saturday in Toulouse, France.

That was not in the cards, though. Fournier left the game less than four minutes after it started with an apparent injury. It did not appear that it was serious. Still, there was some concern.

It seemed that concern was unfounded. Almost completely unfounded.

Fournier returned to the court Sunday in France’s friendly against Italy and continued his strong run with France in their preparation for Eurobasket at the end of the month.

He scored 17 points in 20 minutes, making 6 of 12 shots. Fournier added three assists too as France won 88-63. Fournier’s shooting proved key to help France take over the game in the third quarter.

The team has won all but one of its international friendlies so far, including its last five. The only loss came to tournament favorite Croatia in Fournier’s first game with the team this summer.

It was good to see Fournier shake off whatever knocked him out of Saturday’s game and play so well. It did not seem Fournier lost a step at all.

He has played extremely well for France in their friendlies so far. In six games, he is averaging 12.6 points per game and shooting 50.9 percent from the floor. Take out Saturday’s short stint against Montenegro and Fournier is averaging 16.6 points per game and shooting 52.2 percent from the floor with a 61.4 percent effective field goal percentage.

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Fournier is not the main playmaker for France. That will still fall to Nando De Colo and Boris Diaw. But the team will rely on Fournier for his scoring throughout the tournament. And they will need an efficient Fournier to do that.

While it is hard to draw too many conclusions from international friendlies, it is looking like Fournier is hitting his shots and playing at a very high level entering the tournament.

After last season where he averaged a team-high 17.2 points per game, Fournier is looking to regain a bit of his efficiency. Fournier shot 35.6 percent from beyond the arc, the worst 3-point percentage of his career and a 50.8 percent effective field goal percentage, the worst since he joined the Magic.

Orlando probably asked Fournier to do too much on the ball without providing a lot of spacing. It seems France is able to give Fournier the spacing he needs to become a much more efficient scorer and shooter.

That is the good news for the Magic. Fournier is looking very much like himself and playing well entering this important international tournament. A tournament that is seeing several big names — like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milos Teodosic — pulling out of the tournament just a few weeks before it starts.

Fournier is still going strong despite that initial report of an injury.

Next: Inside the Orlando Magic's 2018 schedule

The good news is he will have a week before his next game. France finishes its exhibition schedule at Germany next Sunday before tipping off Eurobasket play on August 31.