Orlando Magic Grades: Jalen Suggs’ injury spoils a solid effort

The Orlando Magic would love to be breaking down and thinking about the things they could have executed better down the stretch of a close road game against an Eastern Conference power like the Philadelphia 76ers.

They would love to be highlighting how their defense found its fifth gear and powered the team back from a 16-point first-quarter deficit to take the lead in the third and be in the game in the fourth.

They would love to talk about how rookie Franz Wagner took over several parts of the game or Jalen Suggs continued to look more comfortable at controlling the pace of the game or Gary Harris broke out of his funk or Wendell Carter continued to look aggressive or Mo Bamba blocked a career-high six shots.

Those are all things any Magic fan would love to point out and dive deeper even in a 101-96 loss at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Monday.

The Orlando Magic had a solid effort in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. But Jalen Suggs’ injury looms as a huge loss for the team.

That is not the headline though. Just as the Magic’s season seemed like it was inching ever so slightly forward, the team got hit with a haymaker of bad news.

With about four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Suggs drove through the lane and began to go up for a shot or pass. Joel Embiid raked his hands to reach for the ball and hit Jalen Suggs on the hand. Suggs, still in the air, got the ball to Harris before the shot clock expired.

Suggs though ran out of bounds holding his hand and tried to run back while still clearly uncomfortable and checking his hand.

The team announced after the game that Suggs had fractured his right thumb. He will be out an extended period of time — likely at least a couple of weeks and probably a whole lot longer — putting a further damper on a frustrating start to the season.

Nothing else seemed to matter. The team is now without a healthy true point guard with Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony still out.

It showed down the stretch. Orlando still fought back and had the game tied late thanks to a putback dunk from Bamba. But the team fouled late to keep Philadelphia in the lead.

Down by two points late, Wagner tried running a pick and roll with Carter, but the Sixers’ switch confused him and he ended up hosting a deep three that fell no good. Philadelphia hit its free throws to secure the win.

A valiant effort, but a loss in more ways than one.

Player Grades

Franz Wagner – A-

Franz Wagner was not expected to have this kind of scoring burst. He was not expected to be able to pour in 25 points on a semi-regular basis or be the main focus of an offense. This was not who anyone expected Wagner to be.

So after another stellar 27-point, six-rebound and five-assist performance continues to redefine Wagner’s expectations and potential. He can do so much more than anyone thought.

It is the way Wagner is doing it too. He has a smooth Euro step that eats up space and the touch to finish at the rim. When the Magic’s offense was struggling through the first quarter, Wagner was a consistent option to get to the basket and make something happen. Even if there are still plenty of rookie mistakes.

Wagner did not have his 3-point shot going (he was 1 for 5 from deep) but he kept getting into the lane and running in transition. Just running and playing hard makes everything better.

Mo Bamba – B

Mo Bamba has had some rough games a bit lately. He was struggling to be in the right spots defensively consistently and was not hitting shots. The Magic will struggle whenever any of their starters struggle. Bamba showed up big and had a lot of really good moments in the win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bamba finished with 11 points and 17 rebounds to go with a career-high six blocks. There was the defense the magic expected when they drafted him. Bamba chased blocks and made plays, especially in the second half to set up fast breaks and the Magic’s still-struggling offense.

Mo Bamba was even doing this against Joel Embiid. He was a presence in the paint which is exactly what the team needs from him. And that goes on both ends (although more on defense than on offense).

Mo Bamba did get muscled around a bit by Andre Drummond when they were matched up. Bamba took advantage of Embiid still recovering from COVID. But he pressed that advantage and made plays.

Gary Harris – B

Credit has to go where it is due. Orlando Magic fans have been hard on Gary Harris all season. And a lot of it has been deserved. His shooting has been poor and his defense has been spotty. He has looked very much like a player still getting his legs under him. But with a young roster, the team needs veteran stability.

Games like this — along with a few recent games including Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers — are more of what the Orlando Magic need from their veteran wing.

Harris scored 16 points and hit 5 of 11 shots, including three 3-pointers. He was solid at playing within himself and playing his role as a spot-up shooter and transition attacker. Orlando needs more of this version of Harris where he takes smart shots and keeps the ball moving.

Jalen Suggs – B+

The most disappointing part of Jalen Suggs’ injury and the fact he is going to miss some time is that he was starting to put together some really nice games. And more than just his solid defense. Suggs scored 17 points and dished out five assists on 5-for-13 shooting. He had just two turnovers.

The defense was all there — including a pick-six breakout dunk that gave the Magic a lead for the first time in the third quarter. But he started playing smartly with his drives, not getting in too deep. There were still some wild misses at the rim. But Suggs’ shot selection was getting a lot better and he was getting better at seeing passes.

Jalen Suggs will have to hope to have a similar epiphany that Cole Anthony had last year when he missed 20-plus games. There is still plenty to learn by watching. But Suggs will miss some valuable playing time just when the pieces were starting to come together.

Philadelphia 76ers – C+

The Philadelphia 76ers looked like they were going to roll to a win easily. Their defense was stifling an uninspired Orlando Magic team. They were moving the ball for easy 3-pointers and forced the Magic into their zone really early thanks to their matchup advantage with Tobias Harris at power forward.

Philadelphia was dominating the inside and the offensive glass and forcing turnovers. This game should not have been close.

The Magic turned the tide thanks to their defense and energy. And the Sixers looked taken aback. Philadelphia fans, predictably booed. Philadelphia got itself right enough to win thanks to some timely shots from Tobias Harris and Seth Curry. But this was not an encouraging performance for a team that still has title aspirations.

The Magic are now 4-18 and 15th in the Eastern Conference. They return to action Wednesday at the Amway Center against the Denver Nuggets.