Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris might make his season debut in Friday’s street recreation vs. the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
Harris was upgraded to possible on the group’s Thursday harm report after being sidelined for the season’s begin, lacking the primary 15 video games due to left knee harm restoration.
The Magic enter Friday 4-11 after going 3-4 of their season-long, seven-game homestand that ended with a 126-108 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at Amway Center.
Harris had arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee in late August after tearing cartilage, which additionally compelled him to overlook coaching camp.
He informed the Orlando Sentinel final week he was “getting close” to returning to the ground however wasn’t certain when it might occur.
It seems to be prefer it’ll be Friday.
“I can’t really say one day or the other because some days are better than others right now, but it’s feeling good right now,” Harris informed the Sentinel forward of the Nov. 11 house win over the Phoenix Suns. “Just trying to keep it that way.”
Harris has had varied minor accidents all through his profession however the meniscectomy was his first surgical procedure, he mentioned, offering unqiue challenges throughout rehabilitation.
“It’s just different,” Harris mentioned. “Different movements. It’s something I have to get back comfortable and familiar with after my first one. Just seeing how my body responds.”
Starting large man Wendell Carter Jr., who sat within the loss to the Timberwolves due to a strained proper plantar fascia (smooth tissue beneath the foot), is also listed as possible for Friday towards his former group (8 p.m., Bally Sports Florida/Bally Sports+/FM 96.9 The Game).
Rookie ahead Paolo Banchero is listed as out due to the sprained left ankle from the house loss to the Houston Rockets on Nov. 7.
He informed the Sentinel on Wednesday that his ankle had progressed however he was nonetheless experiencing soreness, including that it was his first time injuring it.
His return will finally depend upon how he responds to rehabilitation and remedy, however he expects to be sidelined for at the very least one other 1-1½ weeks.
After the matchup towards the Bulls (6-9), the Magic will play the Pacers in Indianapolis on Saturday and Monday. Their first recreation after Thanksgiving might be towards the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 25 at Amway Center.
Cole Anthony (torn proper inside indirect), Markelle Fultz (fractured left large toe), Jonathan Isaac (left knee harm restoration) and Moe Wagner (sprained proper midfoot) additionally stay sidelined.
None of Magic’s 5 gamers listed as out for Friday traveled with the group to Chicago.
Harris, who was on an expiring contract for 2021-22 that paid him $20.5 million, signed a 2-year, $26 million extension to return to Orlando earlier than free company formally began July 1.
He has a $13 million, fully-guaranteed wage for the 2022-23 season and a $13 million non-guaranteed wage for 2023-24. His 2023-24 wage turns into absolutely assured after June 30, 2023.
Harris completed final season averaging 11.1 factors on 43.4% capturing from the sector and 38.4% capturing on 3s for a 53.9% efficient discipline objective proportion — a system that adjusts for 3-pointers being price greater than 2-pointers.
He’s coming off his healthiest season in just a few years, showing in 61 video games, essentially the most he’s performed in a season since 2017-18. His eFG% was the very best it has been since then, too.
He’ll assist the Magic as an off-ball scoring menace along with his chopping and 3-point capturing, particularly in catch-and-shoot and spot-up conditions.
He made a team-high 41.3% (4 makes an attempt per recreation) of his catch-and-shoot 3s in 2021-22 and has ranked as an above-average-to-great cutter in six of the earlier seven seasons, in response to statistics supplied to the league’s official web site by Synergy.
Orlando is the league’s most effective scoring group on cuts, capturing 76.3% on the motion, however solely takes 5.3 discipline objective makes an attempt off cuts — a bottom-10 mark coming into Thursday’s video games.
The Magic’s 33.6% 3-point accuracy and 34.8% catch-and-shoot 3-point accuracy had been the league’s seventh-worst marks.
Harris ought to instantly assist the Magic in these areas.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or comply with him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com