Everyone knew Franz Wagner was not going to play in both games of their final back-to-back. In the modern NBA, players fresh off injuries, and especially long-term injuries, do not push things unnecessarily.
There was still that gap as the Orlando Magic headed into their critical game against the Detroit Pistons. Anthony Black was returning soon, but he was initially listed as OUT for Monday's game.
As the day evolved, so too did the injury report. Black moved from OUT to QUESTIONABLE and then to PROBABLE by about 3:15 p.m.
As Black explained after the game, he knew Wagner was not playing Monday, and so he tried to push the team to give him the final clearance to play after going through 3-on-3 play. With so little time left in the season, what was there to lose?
Black made his return Monday after missing nearly a month and 16 games (and 18 of the last 20) with a left lateral abdominal strain. It was another sign that the Magic were starting to get back to full health.
Both Black and Wagner will share the floor again for the first time since Dec. 7 on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It is a sign the Magic are starting to become whole for the first time since mid-November. The Magic are hoping that they can get everyone up and running to be closer to their potential.
"I think I tried to focus on playing hard, moving the ball," Black said of his return game on Monday. "Just trying to make sure I'm giving guys space and moving the ball. I was happy with my aggressiveness. Being out there felt good. It felt like I knew what I was doing and felt up to speed. Hopefully, I get my conditioning back as we go."
Black certainly had his moments in Monday's win over the Pistons.
He scored 14 points on 4-for-11 shooting, getting to the line to make five of seven from the line too. Black looked every bit as rusty as he thought. It certainly took him a while to get going. And he was a bit sloppy with the ball while trying to attack off the dribble.
Black hovered mostly around the basket. He did not really start to hunt for his jumper until the second half -- and really not until the fourth quarter when the Magic were up by a ton of points and Black could freelance and test himself a bit.
Black's push to get to the foul line was certainly a good sign that he could find that aggression again an get himself up to speed quickly.
It was refreshing to have his defensive presence back n the court and another player who is aggressive on the ball.
"Playing the stints that he played is never easy in these moments," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Monday's game. "Just trying to find his rhythm. First, it was defensively turned up. He gave us a couple of steals, got out in transition, and was able to get to the basket. A little bit of just knocking the rust off."
Black played only 15:29 in Monday's game. Like Franz Wagner, who only eclipsed 20 minutes in Sunday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Nobody is back all the way quite yet. Both players are still making smaller impacts in shorter minutes.
Like Black, Wagner has had a limited impact and is clearly still working his way back into game shape and still getting his conditioning back. But having both players on the floor is a breath of fresh air to a team that has had to go without so many key players all season.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Black back on the court.
The Magic are hoping they can begin to ramp those minutes up for both players and look more like the team they should have been from the beginning of the season. The team feels closer to being whole for the first time in so long.
"[I was] a little rusty with my handle, a couple of defensive assignments that I missed," Black said in the locker room after Monday's win. "Just happy to be out there. Blessed to be playing."
Orlando has started to play a lot better.
The team has won five of its last seven games. It brought the Magic into a tie for seventh place entering Tuesday's games. The Magic still have a hill to climb in their final three games, but they are in the race, eager to take advantage of any team that slips up.
Orlando will get its best chance to take advantage of those mistakes if the team can win and get all of its players back up and running.
"Three wins in a row," Black said in the locker room after Monday's game. "We've got three more games to try to get better and keep our momentum going into the postseason. I think we're in a good spot and we're trying to get better."
Things seem to be trending up for the Magic. And they should only get better if they can get healthy again.
Having Black on the floor is just another step closer.