Magic forward Paolo Banchero continues to make progress as he ramps up his workload towards a return to the court. He took a major step during practice Tuesday before Orlando traveled to Detroit ahead of Wednesday’s game vs. the Pistons .
“Paolo was able to go through some light contact through practice, but that’s about it,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. Typically, full contact is the precursor to an injured player’s return to game action. Banchero, who’s missed 29 games since tearing a right abdominal muscle Oct.
30 at Chicago, recently entered the “return to competition reconditioning” phase of his rehabilitation. He’ll miss No. 30 vs.
the Pistons as he’s been declared out. “I’m sure he’s extremely eager just to get back out there and pick up where he left off,” Wendell Carter Jr. said after practice.
Magic’s Paolo Banchero nears return with abdominal muscle healed, but hurdles still remain Meanwhile, Magic guard Jalen Suggs (who missed the second half Sunday vs. the Nets with a right wrist sprain) went through practice Tuesday. “We’ll re-evaluate him again [Wednesday] and see how he’s fully feeling after today,” Mosley said of Suggs, who is listed as probable.
Guard Anthony Black, who sat out against Brooklyn with a lower back contusion, did not practice. “We’ll keep checking and monitoring him over the next couple of days as well,” Mosley said. Black’s status is questionable.
The Magic (20-14) face Detroit (14-18) before wrapping.