Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs is set to make his return to the court on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers after missing seven games due to a left hip contusion, as confirmed by the team on Twitter. Suggs will slot back into the starting lineup, bringing a much-needed boost to the Magic.
This return is particularly encouraging for Orlando, which has recorded a 13-8 record with Suggs in the lineup this season, compared to just 5-7 when he has been sidelined. His contributions are significant; the fifth-year guard has averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.9 steals over 25.6 minutes per game, boasting a shooting line of .471 from the field, .328 from three-point range, and .862 from the free-throw line. Suggs has been out since suffering the injury during the NBA Cup semifinal against the New York Knicks.
The impact of Suggs on the Magic’s performance is evident in the team’s statistics. In the 538 minutes he has played this season, the Magic have outscored their opponents by an impressive 9.6 points per 100 possessions. Conversely, without him on the court for 1,056 minutes, the Magic have found themselves trailing their opponents by an average of 2.6 points per 100 possessions.
However, Orlando will be without Jonathan Isaac, who is dealing with a sore left knee, and Jett Howard, who is out due to illness for Wednesday’s matchup.
On the Pacers’ side, they will also welcome back guard Ben Sheppard, who has missed the last 11 games due to a left calf strain. Head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed Sheppard’s return, marking his first game action since December 3. Before his injury, Sheppard was averaging 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in about 25 minutes per game, although he struggled with his shooting prior to his absence.
As Sheppard rejoins the lineup, similar to Aaron Nesmith—who has recently returned from a knee injury and played 19 and 24 minutes over his first two games back—Sheppard will likely face a minutes restriction as he works toward full recovery. Carlisle highlighted the strategy to gradually increase Nesmith’s playing time, indicating a cautious approach as they reintegrate both players into the team’s rotation.
With both teams bolstered by key players returning from injury, Wednesday’s matchup promises to be an exciting encounter.