The Orlando Magic left for and returned from their 2-3 West Coast journey the healthiest they’ve been all season.
The lone participant who stays out due to damage is third-year ahead Chuma Okeke, who’s been sidelined for almost two months (26 video games) due to left knee illnesses.
Okeke missed 13 consecutive video games from Nov. 25-Dec. 18 due to left knee soreness earlier than present process arthroscopic knee surgical procedure (a chondroplasty — a process that entails shaving/smoothing broken cartilage) on Dec. 19 that’s saved him sidelined for one more 13 video games.
The Magic stated in a press release on the time that he’ll be reevaluated in 4 weeks — this previous Tuesday. Okeke hasn’t progressed to doing on-court work.
He was seen on Wednesday, the crew’s first follow since getting back from the street journey, within the weight room on the crew’s trailing facility whereas sporting a sleeve over his left leg.
“Chuma’s still working his way back,” coach Jamahl Mosley stated. “No real court sessions right now.”
R.J. Hampton practiced with the Magic after spending the street journey with the group’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic.
Hampton averaged 23.8 factors, 5.3 rebounds and a couple of assists in 27.2 minutes in the course of the 4 video games he performed in his most up-to-date stint with Lakeland. He averaged 21.5 factors (50% taking pictures) and 4 assists in 29.5 minutes in two mid-December video games with Lakeland.
Rookie ahead Caleb Houstan was assigned to Lakeland on Monday. He led Lakeland with a team-high 24 factors, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in Tuesday’s 104-100 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
“It’s more about, defensively, being in the right position,” Mosley stated about Houstan’s efficiency. “The right spacing on the floor offensively. He did a great job of understanding what he was asked to do. He wants to do the right thing at all times. He’s done a fantastic job of staying professional, playing his minutes when needed, and the growth of what the coaches have done with him here showed up down there.”
Houstan performed in 9 of the Magic’s final 11 video games however was a wholesome scratch within the earlier two.
Most of his current enjoying time with Orlando got here when the crew was coping with the suspensions stemming from the on-court altercation with the Detroit Pistons.
“As guys are coming in and out the lineup, we get guys healthier, similar with R.J.’s situation — he just wants to play,” Mosley stated. “He’s a young kid who’s earned some minutes. It’s just tough at times to get him in the game.”
Lakeland performs one other street matchup in opposition to the Skyforce Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN+) — a recreation Jonathan Isaac can also be anticipated to play in.
Isaac, who performed for Lakeland final for his first official basketball recreation in 892 days, has suited up twice for the G League squad as a part of his return-to-play course of with the NBA crew. He’s averaged 14.5 factors (42.3% taking pictures), 7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 15.7 minutes.
“He was doing a great job finding a way to get comfortable within just getting up and down the court,” Mosley stated. “Being in a position to take contact. Defensively, simply understanding pick-and-roll coverages whether or not he’s switching or staying in protection. His exercise together with his palms, defending the rim, ensuring he’s a presence down there, after which offensively, it’s going to take a while to proceed to seek out his groove.
Mosley added: “Understanding it’s about getting back on the court. That’s the biggest portion of it. As the games continue to go on, here’s what it’s like with scheming, game-planning [and] adjusting — start to concentrate on those a little bit more. Just being able to get that comfortability level on the floor.”
When requested if the unique plan was for Isaac to play three video games with Lakeland, Mosley responded: “It’s really how guys respond to the different games and how much we can balance that out for where he is.”
Mosley wasn’t positive how a lot time Houstan will spend with Lakeland, both.
“That’s very similar [to Isaac] — seeing how he’s adjusting to it down there,” Mosley stated. “How many bodies we need here will be important as well.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com