In a modern era of the NBA that is viewed by some national pundits and former players as soft compared to the past, Magic guard Jalen Suggs is as tough as can be.

Suggs, a former high school football player and second-team All-Defensive NBA selection a season ago, brings physicality and aggressiveness to the court every night.

But he is still human.

When coach Jamahl Mosley saw Suggs fail to show up immediately after he went down and grabbed his left ankle on the Kia Center court against the Thunder on Thursday night, there was some concern for the fourth-year pro .

“The first time he went down, I was extremely nervous and worried,” Mosley said of the moment that came with 1:38 left in the second quarter. “I wasn’t planning on taking the time out, but he usually bounces back. And then I called time out.”

Suggs slowly managed to get to the bench under his own power before the Thunder closed out a 36-18 victory in the second quarter en route to a 105-99 win over the Magic.

The Magic guard played four minutes of the third quarter before finally exiting.

That’s because Mosley realized something was wrong with Suggs.

“When he came out in the second (half), the tempo wasn’t high,” the Magic coach said. “I mean, there have been moments, but I just want to make sure he’s OK in the long run.

“There’s too much going on with this team when it comes to injury risk for us to want to make sure we’re smart about it,” he added.

It’s hard to blame him.

Orlando – already without stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, who continue to recover from the same injury (torn right abdominal muscle) – played most of the second half without its third-best player on the pitch.

Additionally, veteran guard Gary Harris missed his 10th straight contest on Thursday with a left hamstring strain.

Beede’s Breakdown: Magic are in the running, but lose another starter in their loss to Thunder

Sophomore guard Anthony Black filled in for Suggs as the Magic battled hard against Oklahoma City, cutting a 23-point deficit to single digits in the third quarter before the Thunder handed the Magic their third straight loss.

Luckily for Suggs, The Athletic watched him leave the Kia Center without a hiking boot on his ankle after he rolled over in them in the first half.

Suggs (right ankle sprain) was listed as probable for Saturday’s game against Miami on Orlando’s initial injury report. Harris is considered questionable.

“He’s a tough kid,” Mosley said. “He wants to be out there and you see that in him. We said it before the game – his passion, his energy, his intensity of wanting to be on the floor with his guys.”

After defeating the Magic, the Thunder traveled south to face the Heat on Friday. Less than 24 hours later, Orlando (17-12) hosts Miami at the Kia Center on Saturday.

It is the first of two games between the state teams within five days. The Magic will also host the Heat on Thursday after defending champion Boston comes to town on Monday.

The Magic beat the Heat on opening night in Miami, but Banchero and Wagner were both healthy. Since then, Orlando has gone 15-10 without Banchero and 1-3 without the available star duo.

Magical gift shopping spree

Banchero joined Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and members of the Osceola Magic on a Christmas shopping trip for 100 children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida at a local Walmart on Friday.

Each child received $300 gift cards from Banchero, Caldwell-Pope and Pepsi. The two Magic teammates and the soft drink company each donated $10,000 in gift cards that they could use to buy anything they wanted before Christmas and on the first night of Hanukkah on Wednesday.

The children participating in the shopping spree came from three local Boys & Girls Club locations – the Walt Disney World Clubhouse, the Levy-Hughes Clubhouse and the Bradley-Otis Clubhouse.

Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]

Next …

Magic vs. Heat

When: 7, Saturday, Kia Center

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida

Originally published: December 20, 2024 at 6:00 pm EST