Suggs reveals his emotional response to Wagner's injury, focusing on team resilience and his own physical preparation for the upcoming Miami clash.
It seems no matter how well the Orlando Magic are doing, injuries tend to derail the momentum. Just as the Magic were working superstar forward Paolo Banchero back into the lineup, Franz Wagner went down with an ugly leg injury in the 106–100 loss to the Knicks.
The play happened on an alley-oop attempt where Anthony Black threw it up just a tad late, and Knicks center Ariel Hukporti ran into Wagner, causing him to land awkwardly.
Now with Wagner out, the main trio of Suggs, Wagner, and Banchero will once again be delayed in gaining chemistry on the court. Injury isn’t easy for anyone, especially Suggs, who’s dealt with many in his short career. Clearly tense because of the situation, Suggs shared postgame that it hurts to see anyone get hurt.
"You never like seeing nobody get hurt,” Suggs said. “Whether it’s your team or the opposing team. We’re praying for Boogie’s recovery. We’ll see what it’s like when we get back home, but our thoughts and our love are with him. We’re a family, so whenever you see one of your own go down, it’s tough."
Despite the loss, the Magic fought until the end. Although their spark appeared dimmed, they still battled in a competitive matchup, and Suggs thought they responded well.
"I thought we responded pretty well,” Suggs added. “They made some tough timely shots, but we stayed with it and fought until the end. We brought it back close, and even with the spark dimmed a little after Boogie went down, we kept competing. Shout out to Ben Junior for stepping in—we just couldn’t recover quite enough in that fourth quarter. We’ll be fine; we’ll assess everything when we get home and come back ready on Tuesday."
Now, with a day to rest, Suggs’ main priority is taking care of his body before another rivalry matchup with the Heat.
"I’m good. We’ll take care of the body when we get back home. This NBA season is brutal, man—it’s so tough on the body. Just keep being detailed with that and we’ll be straight for Tuesday."
Noah Penda’s Impact Growing As Rookie Forward Carves Out Key Role
Beyond the hype, a rookie forward quietly anchors defense, orchestrates offense, and impresses teammates and coaches with his crucial late-game contributions. Click Here
Magic Keep Winning Due To One Key Reason Opponents Can’t Gameplan For
Unrelenting hustle and defensive intensity fuel the Magic's surge, overwhelming opponents with sheer effort they simply cannot outmaneuver. Click Here
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Remember to join our MAGIC on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form. and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Magic fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!