Tag: Jalen Suggs

Rookie Power Rankings: Cade Cunningham showing out for red-hot Pistons

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2021-22 season.

With just over one month to go in the NBA season, teams around the league are looking to finalize preparations for the playoffs or look ahead to their offseason plans.

The league has seen several remarkable performances as of late with some rookie players joining in on the action. From Cade Cunningham to Moses Moody, the rookie class is reminding everyone that they could be perhaps the best in recent memory.

To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

Magic: Jamahl Mosley provides injury update on Jalen Suggs

Suggs will miss his second straight game on Tuesday versus the Suns due to a sprained right ankle.

Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs will miss his second straight game on Tuesday versus the Phoenix Suns due to a sprained right ankle, head coach Jamahl Mosley said prior to the contest.

Suggs suffered the injury on Friday in a win over the Toronto Raptors. He recorded 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes of work and was eventually held out of action on Saturday in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The fifth pick did not practice with the team on Monday and missed shootaround on Tuesday. Mosley said Suggs is doing OK but still needs additional treatment to get the injury right.

He explained how Suggs suffered the sprain.

I think someone fell on him. I think as he went down, it kinda got turned a little bit toward the back-end of the game. But, in going back and looking at the film, he has hit the ground so much, it is hard to tell which moment it was that he turned it.

The Magic have often been cautious with injuries this season and will not rush Suggs back into action too quickly. He has missed 22 games this season due to various injuries, including 20 due to a fractured thumb and one because of a previous right ankle sprain.

Suggs, in 43 games, is averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals this season. He currently ranks seventh in scoring among all first-year players and third in assists.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Magic: Jalen Suggs missed practice on Monday due to injury

Suggs appeared to injure his ankle on Friday in a win over the Raptors and did not play on Saturday versus the Grizzlies.

Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs did not practice with the team on Monday due to a sprained right ankle, head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Suggs appeared to injure his ankle on Friday in a win over the Toronto Raptors. He recorded 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes of work and was hobbled throughout the contest. The team held him out on Saturday in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The fifth pick attempted to play versus the Grizzlies but was ultimately a late scratch from the lineup. He is listed as questionable to play on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns and will continue to receive treatment in order to suit up in that contest.

“Jalen did sit out today’s practice,” Mosley said. “We’re just going to keep evaluating him and see how he does with responding to the treatment as we go forward.”

The Magic have often been cautious with injuries this season and will not rush Suggs back into action too quickly. He has missed 22 games this season due to various injuries, including 20 due to a fractured thumb and one because of a previous right ankle sprain.

Suggs, in 43 games, is averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals this season. He currently ranks seventh in scoring among all first-year players and third in assists.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Magic: Jalen Suggs sat on Saturday vs. Grizzlies due to injury

Suggs did not play on Saturday in a loss to the Grizzlies due to a sprained right ankle.

Orlando Magic rookie Jalen Suggs did not play on Saturday in a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies due to a sprained right ankle, the team announced prior to the contest.

Suggs appeared to injure his right ankle on Friday in a win over the Toronto Raptors. He recorded 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 29 minutes of work and was hobbled throughout the contest. He was eventually added to the injury report afterward.

The fifth pick was seen prior to the contest on Saturday warming up on the court but was eventually ruled out of playing. The game was the 22nd of the season that Suggs missed because of injury.

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The Magic will return to action on Tuesday versus the Phoenix Suns so Suggs will have some time off to get treatment on his ankle. The team has often been cautious with injuries this season and will not rush Suggs back into action too quickly.

Suggs, in 43 games, is averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals this season. He currently ranks seventh in scoring among all first-year players and third in assists.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Jamahl Mosley: Jalen Suggs can learn from early foul trouble

Suggs logged just 14 minutes on Friday after getting into early foul trouble in a win over the Rockets.

Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley on Friday said the early foul trouble Jalen Suggs experienced versus the Houston Rockets can be a strong learning moment for the fifth pick.

Suggs picked up three fouls within the first three minutes of action during the 119-111 win. He was first whistled for an offensive foul and then had two come on the defensive end of the floor just seconds later, prompting Mosley to sub him out of the game.

He eventually fouled out with 4:44 left in the fourth quarter.

The former Gonzaga standout has proven to be a strong defender at the guard position. He has dazzled at times with his ability to play the passing lanes and keep his matchup in front of him.

Mosley said Suggs will need to find a balance in those situations.

I think those are big moments. We’ll watch film tomorrow, go back and look at certain situations and the time and understanding when your aggression is necessary and when it’s not. You don’t want to take that away from that young man because that is part of what makes him, him. But understanding when, where and how you want to be able to defend the ball the right way, whether your active hands and knowing when to do that.

Suggs finished with three points, one rebound and one steal in 14 minutes of action. The three points by Suggs were his second-lowest output of the season, behind his one-point outing on Feb. 8 when he left early because of an Achilles injury.

While the outing was short-lived, Suggs had perhaps the play of the game. Early in the second quarter, Suggs swiped the ball from the Rockets and found himself in a one-man fastbreak situation. He slowed down, then threw the ball off the backboard to himself and slammed it in.

The Magic have often said this season is about learning experiences for their young players, and the contest on Friday proved to be no different for Suggs. He will be able to correct the mistakes made and apply that to future games this season.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rockets at Magic: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks

Rockers guard Jalen Green has fared well in matchups versus other top rookies from the 2021 NBA draft class, and he has another opportunity Friday versus Orlando’s Jalen Suggs.

After a week off for the NBA’s All-Star break, the Houston Rockets will resume their 2021-22 season on Friday in Orlando. If you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We have the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as all the information you need to make the best bets at Tipico Sportsbook.

The Rockets-Magic game tips at 6 p.m. CST and can be viewed or streamed via AT&T SportsNet Southwest and NBA League Pass. Orlando enters the season restart coming off four straight defeats, while Houston lost its final seven games heading into an extended All-Star break.

While the young Rockets say they are focused on player growth, development, and maximizing wins over their final 24 regular-season games, Friday’s contest also carries implications in the other direction.

With four more losses, the Magic (13-47) are one of only two NBA teams with a worse record than Houston (15-43), which would give them slightly better 2022 NBA draft odds. With a win, the Rockets would have five fewer losses, which is a lot to overcome with only 23 games left. A three-loss margin, on the other hand, seems much more manageable.

But that’s not how Houston’s players and coaches are looking at it. They’re competitive and likely see a matchup with Orlando as an opportunity for a rare win. The Rockets should also benefit from the return of starters Kevin Porter Jr. and Eric Gordon, who each missed multiple games leading into the break before having a week off to rest.

Rockets at Magic: Lineups, injury reports, broadcast and stream info for Friday

In a matchup of rebuilding teams with potential 2022 NBA draft odds on the line, Houston visits Orlando on Friday. The game features two highly touted rookies in Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs.

After a week away for the All-Star break, the Houston Rockets will resume their 2021-22 NBA season on Friday in Orlando. If you’re wondering how you can watch all the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

While the young Rockets say they are focused on player growth, development, and maximizing wins as the year winds down, Friday’s contest could also have implications in the opposite direction.

With four more losses, the Magic are one of only two NBA teams with a worse record than Houston, which would give them slightly better 2022 NBA draft odds. With a win, the Rockets would have five fewer losses, which would be a lot to overcome with only 23 games left. A three-loss margin, on the other hand, would seem to be more manageable.

But that’s not how Houston’s players and coaches are looking at it, of course. They’re competitive and likely see it as a prime opportunity for a rare win. The Rockets should also get a boost from the return of starters Kevin Porter Jr. and Eric Gordon, who each missed multiple games leading into the break and undoubtedly benefited from a week to rest.

Jamahl Mosley reveals NBA feedback on Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner

Suggs and Wagner have emerged as two of the top rookies this season and have drawn high praise from around the NBA.

Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley on Wednesday called it a fantastic experience for rookies Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner to participate in NBA All-Star Weekend.

Suggs and Wagner were among the 12 rookie players selected to compete in the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday. Suggs scored 16 points for Team Worthy in a semifinal loss while Wagner hit the game-winning free throw for Team Barry to win the championship.

Mosley reflected on what the weekend meant for his two rookies.

I was excited to be there with them for them to experience that around All-Stars and their peers to just enjoy and take in that time in that environment coming on the 75th anniversary. I think for them to experience the league and what it means to be in the league and be a part of it was fantastic for them. They had a great time. They had fun on the court playing with and for each other.

Suggs and Wagner have emerged as two of the top first-year players this season.  Suggs is posting 12.6 points, 4.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds while Wagner leads all rookie players in scoring and is in the conversation for Rookie of the Year.

They have made an impression on teams and their peers from around the league. Mosley received strong feedback from his conversations over All-Star Weekend and how teams view the two rookies.

They talk about their competitive spirit. They talk about how hard they play, their basketball IQs. With these guys, everyone takes notice on how well they play off of one another and the joy and passion they play with on the court, their toughness and their willingness to compete every single night.

Magic guard R.J. Hampton has seen improvement with both players.

I think I’ve seen get them better. With Jalen, and his injury when he came back, I think he was full-throttle ready to go. He took that time to learn and grow. I think Franz has been great all season. I think I saw a stat that he has been the only player in the NBA to start and play in all 60 games so that is amazing. Hats off to him. Those two guys are great for our franchise.

Of course, the rookie duo of Suggs and Wagner were also joined for the festivities by Magic guard Cole Anthony, who participated in the Slam Dunk Contest. He lost in the first round but had everyone talking after throwing down his first dunk in Timberlands.

Magic guard R.J. Hampton was proud of how they did over the weekend.

It was amazing. For them three to go out and represent our organization like they did was great. Hats off to Cole for even being in the Dunk Contest, that is definitely a big accomplishment. I think they had a lot of fun and I’m happy for them.

With the festivities now over, the Magic returned to practice on Wednesday as the team looks ahead to the final 22 games of the season. They will be playing for themselves as they want to get better and build positive momentum heading into next season.

Certainly, the continued development of Suggs and Wagner will be worth monitoring.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Rookie Power Rankings: How the rookie class fares at the All-Star break

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2021-22 season.

NBA All-Star Weekend gave the current rookie class a tremendous opportunity to showcase themselves on a national platform and the group largely performed exceptionally.

The basketball world saw 12 rookie players compete in the Rising Stars game on Friday. Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham was named the Most Valuable Player of the festivities after leading Team Barry to the championship.

On Saturday, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green performed in the Slam Dunk Contest. While it didn’t go the way Green had hoped, the second pick still dazzled with his athleticism and leaping ability in Cleveland. He even vowed to return next year and redeem himself.

With the final stretch of the season upon us, Rookie Wire took a look at some of the best recent performances of these first-year players. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.

NBA Rookie of the Year: Odds for top candidates at All-Star break

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players and their current odds of winning Rookie of the Year, courtesy of @Tipico Sportsbook.

With the NBA All-Star Weekend officially wrapped up, teams and players will begin to look ahead as some gear up for the playoffs and others position themselves for the draft lottery.

The awards races have also been narrowed down to a handful of candidates in most cases with two months left in the season. The competition will certainly heat up for these candidates on the court as they look to make their cases to the awards voters.

Included in that conversation is the race for Rookie of the Year.

Cade Cunningham currently leads the rookie class in scoring average (15.7) while Franz Wagner is the leader in total scoring (935 points). In other stat categories, Josh Giddey is the assist leader (6.4) and Evan Mobley is the rebounding (8.1) and block (1.6) leader.

With 20-25 games left, Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players and their current odds of winning Rookie of the Year, courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook.