Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs is expected to play Friday on the road against the Charlotte Hornets after a 20-game absence, the team announced.
Suggs suffered a fractured right thumb on Nov. 29 versus the Philadelphia 76ers when Joel Embiid inadvertently slapped him on the hand. Suggs checked out with 4:20 left in the fourth quarter and would not return to the contest.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley on Tuesday said Suggs could return to play on the back-end of their three-game road trip that started on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards. After facing the Hornets, the Magic will finish up the trip on Saturday versus the Dallas Mavericks.
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The injury to Suggs came just as the fifth pick started to gain his footing in the NBA and turn the corner. He felt as though the game had started to slow down as he showed great control and poise running the team on a nightly basis leading up to the injury.
Despite missing the last 20 games, Suggs has still been able to sit in with the team on film sessions. He is on the bench at each home game while he has also traveled with the team on some recent road trips to stay connected with his teammates.
Suggs is averaging 12.3 points, 3.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 21 games. He ranks seventh in scoring average and third in assists among all first-year players.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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