According to Rogers Sportsnet on Thursday, Orlando Magic star forward Paolo Banchero of Seattle, Washington has torn his oblique. The estimated time he is expected to be out of the Magic lineup is four to six weeks.
Banchero suffered the injury on Wednesday in a 102-99 Magic loss to the Chicago Bulls. The injury happened at some point in the fourth quarter. What was interesting is that Banchero even played the remainder of the game for the Magic, and even scored Orlando’s final two points as he made a one foot layup, which pulled Orlando to within two points (101-99 Chicago) with 20 seconds left.
Another remarkable story from the Bulls’s win over the Magic was their comeback. They were move down 48-28 in the second quarter.
Banchero, who was the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, made headlines on Monday. In a 119-115 Orlando win over the Indiana Pacers, Banchero became the first and only player to score 50 points in a NBA game this season. He also only became only the fourth Magic player in franchise history to accomplish the feat.
This is the second time this week a NBA All-Star has suffered a significant injury. On Monday, in the Toronto Raptors’s 127-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. Toronto small forward Scottie Barnes broke his orbital bone and is expected to be out three weeks.
So far this season, Banchero is averaging 29 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, and 5.6 assists per game. He has a field goal percentage of .495, three-point percentage of .344, and a free throw percentage of .644. Banchero is seventh in NBA scoring.
The Magic are currently tied for third place in the Eastern Conference. Both teams are at three wins and two losses.
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