TORONTO (AP) – In a worrying development for the Orlando Magic, point guard Jalen Suggs was carted off the court in a wheelchair due to back spasms during the first half of Friday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors.
Suggs, displaying tenacious defense, tripped unexpectedly without prior contact and collapsed to the ground, clutching his lower back in apparent distress. The young star remained on the floor for several minutes as medical staff helped him to his feet before he was wheeled away in a wheelchair with a towel covering his face.
Shortly after halftime, the Magic confirmed that Suggs would not return to the game.
Selected fifth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Suggs has averaged 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists this season for a Magic team that has already struggled with a number of injuries . Before his evacuation, he had contributed six points in just 13 minutes of play.
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The Magic’s woes continued as they were already without winger Paolo Banchero and winger Franz Wagner, both sidelined with right oblique injuries. In total, six players from the team were unavailable for Friday’s game.
Photos of the incident show Suggs grimacing in pain on the field, underscoring the severity of the injury as coach Jamahl Mosley assisted him. The team and fans are all hoping for a quick recovery for the young rising star.
As the Magic go through this difficult period, the hope remains that their playmaker will quickly find his way back to the floor, strengthening a team in urgent need of reinforcement.
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