NBA
Magic’s Paolo Banchero is sidelined indefinitely with a torn right oblique
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated01 Nov 2024
In 2023-24, the Orlando Magic were a young team that was still building chemistry. They finished with a 47-35 record and made the postseason. Orlando went to Game 7 in the first round against Cleveland but they lost. The Magic needed that type of playoff experience for their young core of players.
Through the first five games of the 2024-25 season, Orlando is 3-2. On Wednesday night, the Magic was on the road to face the Chicago Bulls, During that game, all-star PF Paolo Banchero suffered a torn right oblique. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Banchero is sidelined indefinitely and will be re-evaluated in four-to-six weeks. Orlando is losing their best player early in the year and will have to adapt without Banchero in the lineup.
Paolo Banchero is out indefinitely for the Magic with a torn oblique
Devastating injury for Banchero and loss for the Magic. Banchero had been blossoming, averaging nearly 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists for 3-2 Orlando and becoming the second-youngest player in NBA history with a 50-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist line behind LeBron James. https://t.co/6dUgV95XMF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 1, 2024
Earlier this week, Paolo Banchero had a career-high 50 points in a win vs. the Indiana Pacers. The 21-year-old had 50 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. He is the second-youngest player in league history to accomplish that feat. Unfortunately, Banchero tore his right oblique vs. the Bulls on Wednesday and is out indefinitely. Orlando is now without a player who was averaging nearly 30 points per game to begin the 2024-25 season.
While Banchero misses time, several players are going to need to step up and help the team win games. Small forward Franz Wagner will have to carry the scoring load offensively for the Magic. Banchero was averaging (29.0) points per game in 2024-25. Wagner is the next closest at (17.8). Last season, he averaged (19.7) points per game for the Magic and his averages will likely creep back up toward the twenties for scoring. Additionally, Jalen Suggs is averaging (16.8) points per game this season. That is a career-high for the PG and Orlando hopes he can keep up those scoring numbers. It’s going to take a concerted team effort to win as many games as possible while Paolo Banchero is out.
