Magic Notebook: Jalen Suggs Injury Latest, Free Throw Woes, Play-In Race

The Orlando Magic are still awaiting the return of starting All-NBA Defensive guard Jalen Suggs, struggling to hit free throws and are locked into a tight Play-In race. Here's the latest on each topic in this edition of the Magic notebook.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) shoots over Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) during the second half at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – It's time for another edition of the Orlando Magic notebook.

Heading into Sunday evening's contest with the Washington Wizards, the Magic are still awaiting Jalen Suggs' return, struggling to make free throws and fighting for position in the East Play-In race.

Let's dive into each topic:

Suggs won't be rushed back, but no timetable for return

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) goes to the basket against Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) and guard Tyrese Martin (13) during the second quarter at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The fourth-year guard is missing his 12th straight game because of a left quad injury on Sunday evening.

More: Magic-Wizards injury report

Suggs exited the fourth quarter of Orlando's Jan. 25 game versus Detroit with the injury. That night was his first one back on the court for the first time in three weeks after a low back strain picked up Jan. 3 at Detroit. That makes Sunday's contest with the Wizards his 22nd absence in 23 games, and his 24th overall.

This past Wednesday, before Orlando set off for Thursday's win at Atlanta on the first night of a back-to-back, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley urged the importance of not ushering Suggs back into the mix when he's not fully ready – even with the hole his absence creates proving troublesome for Orlando on the court and the shortening remaining runway for the rest of the regular season.

After Sunday's contest concludes, there will be 23 games for him to rejoin the fray. For the Magic's playoff push, having Suggs back would be vital. Yet, there has been no provided timeline for a possible return.

Asked pregame Friday if there was concern within the organization that Suggs' injury could last longer, Mosley reiterated his previous sentiments from earlier in the week.

"I do know there's definitely a timeline and you can say you're up against the wall, but I also go back to the fact that this young man's career and his body is one of the most important things for this organization," Mosley said. "To try to press it up against a wall for him to walk on the floor and not be fully healthy and say something else happens, now you're up against a different wall. And that's [a] career.

"I think the most important thing is that we have to trust his body and how he feels and the way we're working together in what he's understanding and feeling in these moments. That's very important as well. We're not going to rush someone back to something that's not 100 percent correct."

Free throws aren't free

Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Magic are a poor shooting team, and that is not news. Their three-point accuracy still tracks to be one of the worst for any club in the modern era of the NBA, and the issue of offensive inefficiency predates the entire roster.

But Orlando has to find its points somewhere, and one of the main ways it does so is by getting to the free throw line. That's where the Magic thrive – posting the league's best free-throw rate (.273) and fourth-most raw attempts per game (23.4).

It hasn't eased their shooting woes, though. The Magic shoot 76.1 percent as a team from the stripe, which ranks 26th. That's nearly two percentage points worse than the league average, which stands at 78.0 percent.

Orlando has shot below 78 percent from the free throw line in 34 games. In such contests, the Magic are 15-19. Contrarily, they're 13-11 when they shoot above 78 percent on free throws.

"That's an issue we've been dealing with all year. An issue I've been dealing with," said Paolo Banchero postgame Thursday in Atlanta. The third-year forward averages 8.0 free throw attempts a game, which is fifth-most across the NBA, but shoots just 66.3 percent. In the Atlanta win, he was 11-of-16 from the line and Orlando missed 12 free throws collectively.

"It's something that we've just got to stay locked in on," Banchero continued. "Keep taking our time at the line. We made enough to win the game where we went 1-for-2 kind of on our trips, but against, maybe, a better team, you know you can't get away with that."

They did the very next night. In a one-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on the second night of a back-to-back, the Magic missed 10 of their 33 free throws.

"You have to step up to the line, know how much work you've put in, and concentrate in that moment," Mosley said prior to the loss. "One free throw at a time. Whatever your routine is, you have to stick to that and stick with that process in order to get the result that you want."

Checking in on the Play-In race

Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) dribbles against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the second half at State Farm Arena. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

When 28-30 Orlando woke up Sunday morning, it found itself still sitting seventh in the East. They're three games back of the 30-26 Detroit Pistons in sixth, which stands as the last guaranteed playoff seed. Nos. 7 through 10 compete in the Play-In tournament, which rewards its winners with a first-round playoff series versus the conference's top two teams throughout the regular season.

The Magic would like to climb back into the top six, but their time to do so is dwindling. As the Magic entered Sunday's slate of games, here's how the East stacked up:

1. Cleveland, 46-10
2. Boston, 40-16, 6 games back
3. New York, 37-19, 9 GB
4. Indiana, 31-23, 14 GB
5. Milwaukee, 31-24, 14.5 GB
6. Detroit, 30-26, 16 GB
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7. Orlando, 28-30, 19 GB
8. Miami, 26-28, 19 GB
9. Atlanta, 26-30, 20 GB
10. Chicago, 22-35, 24.5 GB
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11. Brooklyn, 21-35, 25 GB
12. Phialdelphia, 20-36, 26 GB
13. Toronto, 17-39, 29 GB
14. Charlotte, 14-41, 31.5 GB
15. Washington, 9-46, 36.5 GB

There's still plenty to play out with shifting in win-loss records and tiebreakers. But the Magic's most likely scenario, as of now, is to earn a playoff appearance through the Play-In Tournament. They haven't last held a share of sixth place in the conference since Jan. 29.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• MOE FEELS THE LOVE: While rehabbing a torn left ACL, the Magic center felt the love at a fan meet-and-greet – a reminder to him that they still care. CLICK HERE
• 5 STORYLINES TO WATCH IN MAGIC'S 2ND HALF: Things to monitor in the Magic's final 26-game sprint to the postseason. CLICK HERE
• SUGGS OUT: "I think it's so important that we get him back fully healthy where there is no nagging pain as we go through it,' said Jamahl Mosley of Suggs' quad injury. CLICK HERE
• NO POSITION TO RELAX: The Magic "can't take any game for granted" in the final sprint to the finish. CLICK HERE

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