Orlando’s Paolo Banchero won’t play for a few weeks. The Magic see it as an opportunity for everyone

Paolo Banchero knew one thing was unsuitable. He was stunned to be taught the extent.

The Orlando Magic All-Star will miss the following a number of weeks with a torn proper indirect, an damage that occurred in his staff’s loss to Chicago on Wednesday night time. The stomach muscle damage was identified Thursday, inflicting Banchero to overlook the sport Friday in Cleveland. The Magic tackle the Cavaliers in a rematch of an Japanese Convention first-round collection from final season.

“I felt it when it occurred,” Banchero mentioned Friday, talking with reporters in Cleveland after Orlando’s shootaround. “Didn’t know what it was however knew it didn’t really feel good. Simply tried to play by means of it, wished to get it checked out after the sport, hoped it wasn’t too unhealthy however clearly it was a bit of worse than I assumed.”

Banchero was off to a monster begin — his 29 factors per sport ranked seventh within the league getting into Friday. He’s considered one of solely three gamers who began the day averaging that many factors together with 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per sport. The others: Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“It sucks. There’s no different strategy to put it,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned. “It sucks for him, the best way during which he began this yr, the best way during which he was taking part in, the best way he’s carrying us in so some ways. And in the identical breath, it’s important to say it’s a chance — it’s a chance for guys to step up, step into their position, alternative for guys to proceed to play to our normal of basketball.”

The Magic mentioned Banchero might be evaluated in 4 to 6 weeks. He referenced the six-week timeline. If he misses six weeks, meaning he’ll be sidelined for a minimum of 21 video games. It could additionally imply he’ll nearly actually be ineligible for many end-of-season NBA awards voting beneath the brand new insurance policies that went into impact final season.

“Hopefully, it’s not a multi, three-, four-month damage,” Banchero mentioned. “Hopefully, it’s simply six, one thing weeks. Simply attempting to remain engaged as a lot as I can and keep constructive, take it in the future at a time and be prepared to return again.”

Banchero had a career-high 50 factors on Monday towards Indiana, the primary — and getting into Friday, nonetheless solely — 50-point sport within the NBA this season. The Magic mentioned he was harm within the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s sport in Chicago. Banchero, who completed that night time with 31 factors, was nonetheless on the ground on the finish of that contest.

He intends to journey with the staff whereas sidelined, Mosley mentioned. Banchero might be concerned in some coaches’ conferences, giving the 2022-23 rookie of the yr, No. 1 general draft decide and first-time All-Star final season an opportunity to see the sport a distinct means.

“It’s one other alternative for his progress,” Mosley mentioned. “There received’t be as a lot bodily exercise happening, however it’ll be a psychological model of it. His capacity to be in some the coaches’ conferences, to see the sport in a different way from that aspect of the ground, it’s a chance for his progress in that realm.”

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