All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, one of the NBA’s rising stars, has suffered a torn right oblique muscle and will miss an extended period of time, the Orlando Magic announced Thursday night.
Team officials said Banchero will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. He suffered the oblique injury during the fourth quarter of the Magic’s loss Wednesday night in Chicago, and tests conducted Thursday in Cleveland revealed the extent of the injury.
Banchero’s injury comes after he scored 50 points in the Magic’s victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
His injury is a potentially crushing blow to the up-and-coming Magic, who reached the first round of the playoffs last spring and were poised to make another jump this season with Banchero, their leading scorer, in the lead role. Banchero’s absence could derail Orlando from securing a top-six seed.
Last season, with Banchero playing in 80 regular-season games, the Magic finished with the East’s No. 5 seed.
Banchero, the 2022 No. 1 pick, is the key figure in a highly regarded young nucleus that includes forward Franz Wagner, guard Jalen Suggs and a deep bench. With Banchero out, the Magic will have to rely on scoring from Wagner, Suggs and the rest of their tightly-knit roster as well as the defense, which finished third in the league in points allowed per possession last season.
Durability has been one of Banchero’s strengths. He played in 152 of Orlando’s 164 regular-season games during his first two seasons.
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