Paolo Banchero knew something was wrong. He was surprised to learn the extent.
The Orlando Magic All-Star will miss the next several weeks with a torn right oblique, an injury that happened in his teamās loss to Chicago on Wednesday night. The abdominal muscle injury was diagnosed Thursday, causing Banchero to miss the game Friday in Cleveland. The Magic take on the Cavaliers in a rematch of an Eastern Conference first-round series from last season.
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āI felt it when it happened,ā Banchero said Friday, speaking with reporters in Cleveland after Orlandoās shootaround. āDidnāt know what it was but knew it didnāt feel good. Just tried to play through it, wanted to get it looked at after the game, was hoping it wasnāt too bad but obviously it was a little worse than I thought.ā
Banchero was off to a monster start ā his 29 points per game ranked seventh in the league entering Friday. Heās one of only three players who started the day averaging that many points along with 8.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. The others: Denverās Nikola Jokic and Milwaukeeās Giannis Antetokounmpo.
āIt sucks. Thereās no other way to put it,ā Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. āIt sucks for him, the way in which he started this year, the way in which he was playing, the way heās carrying us in so many ways. And in the same breath, you have to say itās an opportunity ā itās an opportunity for guys to step up, step into their role, opportunity for guys to continue to play to our standard of basketball.ā
The Magic said Banchero will be evaluated in four to six weeks. He referenced the six-week timeline. If he misses six weeks, that means heāll be sidelined for at least 21 games. It would also mean heāll almost certainly be ineligible for most end-of-season NBA awards voting under the new policies that went into effect last season.
āHopefully, itās not a multi, three-, four-month injury,ā Banchero said. āHopefully, itās just six, something weeks. Just trying to stay engaged as much as I can and stay positive, take it one day at a time and be ready to come back.ā
Banchero had a career-high 50 points on Monday against Indiana, the first ā and entering Friday, still only ā 50-point game in the NBA this season. The Magic said he was hurt in the fourth quarter of Wednesdayās game in Chicago. Banchero, who finished that night with 31 points, was still on the floor at the end of that contest.
He intends to travel with the team while sidelined, Mosley said. Banchero will be involved in some coachesā meetings, giving the 2022-23 rookie of the year, No. 1 overall draft pick and first-time All-Star last season a chance to see the game a different way.
āItās another opportunity for his growth,ā Mosley said. āThere wonāt be as much physical activity going on, but itāll be a mental version of it. His ability to be in some the coachesā meetings, to see the game differently from that side of the floor, itās an opportunity for his growth in that realm.ā
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