With the No. 7 seed in the East clinched and homecourt advantage in the NBA Play-In Tournament secured, the Magic‘s injury report looked larger than it has in months entering Friday’s game at Indiana.
Orlando ruled out regulars Paolo Banchero (right ankle soreness), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (left knee strain), Wendell Car
ter Jr. (right hip contusion) and Franz Wagner (right knee soreness) against the Pacers, who were playing on the second night of a back-to-back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The lone starter available? The oldest player on the team — Cory Joseph.
The veteran guard was listed as questionable Thursday because of left knee soreness but was made available against his former team after the Magic went through morning shootaround.
“We want to stay in rhythm, stay healthy and be fresh going into the Play-In and whatnot,” Joseph said in the locker room after Orlando defeated the Celtics at Kia Center on Wednesday. “There’s a multitude of things that we’ve got to worry about within these last two games and I’m sure the staff will put together a plan for us to execute.”
That plan included offering the bench — including rookie Tristan da Silva, second-year pros Anthony Black and Jett Howard, sharpshooter Caleb Houstan and big man Goga Bitadze — a chance to play starter’s minutes.
That’s not to mention two-way guard Trevelin Queen, who has only appeared in 30 of his available 50 NBA games. Two-way players aren’t eligible for the postseason.
Orlando’s other two-way players — guards Mac McClung and Ethan Thompson — aren’t with the team. Instead, the duo were across the country getting ready for Game 2 of the G League Finals against Stockton, Calif., late Friday night.
Another member of the Magic who could benefit — financially speaking, that is — is forward Jonathan Isaac. If he plays in either of the two final regular season games, he’ll earn a $2.6 million bonus for making 70 appearances.
It’s a quirk in his contract after he missed 2 1/2 years because of knee injuries and it’s a sign of how far Isaac has come since his return.
Regardless of who plays in the final two games, the goal remains the same before the Magic host the No. 8 seed in the Play-In game at home Tuesday.
“We’re just trying to continue to stay sharp, continue to get healthy and stay ready,” guard Gary Harris said Friday morning. “We’ve got two games left before the ...
