The new Orlando Magic faced an early challenge—their last game against the New York Knicks. Fourth-year forward Paolo Banchero came out with a groin injury during the game. Banchero wasted no time showing off his scoring chops, scoring 28 points in both of his final two games. Sadly, this incident occurred just days after his stellar performance. The injury severely hampered him, as he posted just four points, three rebounds and 12 minutes of action.
Banchero, who just turned 23 years old on Wednesday, He’s been arguably the Magic’s most indispensable player, averaging 23.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this year. His play has been especially important given that he’s part of a team that most expect to contend in the Eastern Conference. He had a slow start to the season and was still on the upswing building back to his general production levels.
In that contest against the Knicks, Banchero, unfortunately, was injured in the first quarter. There was no egregious play that appeared to lead to it. His absence will likely impact the Magic’s strategy moving forward, especially as they aim to secure their position in a competitive conference.
Banchero’s last 3 games were very strong ones, so it appeared as if he was getting back into his all-star form. Now, the Magic have to face the rest of the season’s trials and tribulations without one of their shining stars. This primary playmaker has long been the engine to the team’s attacking machine.
Leave a Reply