Why Magic Have Struggled Without 'Instigators' Jalen Suggs, Moe Wagner

The Orlando Magic have struggled to contend without Jalen Suggs. Yet, Moe Wagner's absence is affecting the Magic's efforts just as much.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40), Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) and center Moritz Wagner (21) battle for a rebound in the second half at Intuit Dome. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic have dealt with injury adversity aplenty this season. Yet, not all absences are created equal.

Right oblique tears for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner sidelined Orlando's top players for a combined 54 games. While not ideal, there was light at the end of each player's tunnel to make an in-season return and provide impact this season. For a month and a half, the Magic have been back to playing through their two stars.

The injury concerns for Moe Wagner and Jalen Suggs, however, don't share the same hope for a return this season.

Moe, the brother of Franz and breakout bench scorer, suffered a torn left ACL on Dec. 21. A couple weeks later, Suggs began accumulating injuries. He started with a 10-game spell due to a low back strain picked up Jan. 3, then suffered a left leg injury in his first game back in action Jan. 25. While ramping up and nearing a return, Orlando's fourth-year guard tore trochlea cartilage in his left knee, which required a season-ending procedure to remove the loose fragment of cartilage and a mosiacplasty.

Attempting to make whatever is still possible of this season into a reality has been a struggle as of late. But while most of the focus has been on the loss of Suggs, Bucks coach Doc Rivers ensured Moe Wagner's absence was just as impactful.

"They miss him every bit as much, too," Rivers said Saturday. "Both Suggs and Wagner were their instigators. They were physical, they were both tough. Moe just does it because he does it, and I think missing those two guys absolutely hurt their team."

Orlando went on to beat Milwaukee that evening, in part, Rivers reasoned, because the Magic played with more desperation for victory than his Bucks did.

It's not hard to imagine why. The Magic were 17-12 heading into the game Moe Wagner tore his ACL, a game they won and dedicated to their teammate's lost season.

Not only are the Magic contending without his 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds nightly, but they also miss his confrontational, in-your-face attitude opponents had to deal with each time he touched the floor. He's back around the team, rehabbing his knee two months post-operation and acting as an assistant coach behind the bench.

Yet, he won't fully be back until he's between the white lines again.

With Suggs being the only of Orlando's four top scorers available, his team went 2-3 before his back injury at Toronto was the first of concern.

"We'll never be as good of a team as we can be unless [Suggs is] out there," Banchero recently told Andscape. "We know that we have to hold it down."

Aside from his defensive responsibilities, that's an additional 16.2 points Orlando is without for however much longer this season lasts.

Despite Banchero returning on Jan. 10 and Franz Wagner on Jan. 23, Orlando is just 9-20 since Jan. 5 – the first game without Suggs. The Magic are 12-23 in 35 games without Moe Wagner.

"When you play that many games without your stars and you get them back, you just lose your rhythm. You do," Rivers continued. "They'll get it probably back before the playoffs and then be a problem, but it's just hard to get it back sometimes.

Banchero, Franz Wagner and Suggs played just 97 minutes together across six games this season. But when adding Moe Wagner to that mix, the Magic only got five games with their top four scorers.

"I think finding that energy without [Suggs and Moe Wagner] is different, and I think our guys are doing a good job of mustering it up at times, but, we just have to do it in different ways," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Mosley went on to say that making up for it involves paying closer attention to small details. Losses would come because of playing below standard, poor execution in late-game situations or letting teams build insurmountable runs throughout the middle minutes of a contest. No longer do they have the reliable spark from Suggs at the point of attack or t

Perhaps Saturday's win over the Bucks showcased the Magic what's possible when they do play with the correct attention to detail, energy and attitude. What's still possible for them could be wide open, and Orlando believes it just needs a few strung-together results to change the tides.

Yet, Orlando is in this place because the search for Suggs' and Moe Wagner's energy has been a two-month process that has found only glimmers of a resolution.

The Magic will hope that Rivers' assumption that Orlando will find its rhythm is made true by the year's end.

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