“Everybody responds to treatment, everybody responds to different injuries differently [and] everybody’s different,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “And so, you want to treat it as such, and not rush a process of getting him fully whole just to squeak back in to not be 100% on the court because he’s trying to push through certain things. It’s so important that we get him back fully healthy where there is no nagging pain as we go through it.”

The Magic are counting on Suggs’ return to help end a long spiral that has seen them fall to seventh place in the East at 27-29. They’re 6-14 in their last 20 games and haven’t won two in a row since late December. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both returned from extended injury absences over the past six weeks, but Orlando is clearly missing the all-around production of Suggs, who’s averaging 16.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 35 games.

“Defensive-wise, that’s where we’ve been missing him the most,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said. “The way he guards and the energy that he brings, everybody feeds off that, even myself.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

• Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart, Washington’s veteran additions at the trade deadline, were both full participants in today’s practice, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). They may be able to make their Wizards‘ debuts at home Friday against Milwaukee. “I’m here to be a basketball player,” Middleton said. “I’m here to win games, here to help win games however I can. I am going to be here as a mentor and whatnot, but I want Wizards fans to know that I’m not here just to be a mentor. I’m here to be a basketball player and compete out there and help win games.” Malcolm Brogdon, who sprained his left ankle last Wednesday, isn’t expected to play, Robbins tweets.
• Coach Charles Lee said Mark Williams is back to being the Hornets‘ starting center after his trade to the Lakers was rescinded (Twitter video link from Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer). Jusuf Nurkic, who was acquired from Phoenix at the deadline, will be the primary backup, pushing Moussa Diabate back to third string. Diabate started the last three games and recently signed a three-year contract after beginning the season on a two-way deal.
• Hawks guard Trae Young made his fourth All-Star appearance this year, so he has learned how to handle the demands of the weekend without getting overwhelmed, per Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I mean, it wasn’t my first time going,” Young said. “So I kind of knew how to take advantage of the weekend, a little bit more rest, during breaks and appearances and things like that. So, I was able to get some catnaps in there, and then after that, after Sunday, after the game, I was able to get out of there and get some rest and spend some family time those last two days. And I’m ready to go.”

Williams would be playing in his first game since the Hornets-Lakers trade was rescinded after he failed to pass Los Angeles’ physical due to “multiple issues.” The probable status is due to “return to play reconditioning.”

The Lakers front office thought it had solved their starting center issue by acquiring Williams. They had agreed to give up rookie wing Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick swap. Knecht and Reddish returned to the Lakers along with the draft capital when the team decided to void the deal.

Williams, who has battled injuries throughout his young career, is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in 22 contests this season.

We have more Eastern Conference news:

• While the Nets gave all the appearances of tanking earlier this season, their young core isn’t cooperating. They are within range of a play-in spot, trailing the 10th-place Bulls by just 1.5 games. They’ve gotten a boost from D’Angelo Russell in his second stint with the organization. Russell led them to an unlikely postseason berth five years ago and it could happen again, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Russell is averaging 14.5 points and 5.8 assists in 16 games since he was acquired from the Lakers. “Last time it just … kind of happened,” Russell said. “So I think if it’s gonna happen, it will. We definitely have the chance. We definitely have a nice group, definitely have all the coaches and everything to give it that. So we’ll keep preparing like that’s in the plans. But as far as getting ahead of myself and trying to do things out of the ordinary, that’s not really … it’s kind of out of my control, I would say. So [we’ve] just got to go one game at a time, one win at a time.”
• Even with added rest and recovery time, Jalen Suggs is still not 100 percent. Head coach Jamahl Mosley told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link) on Tuesday that the Magic guard was “able to go through running portions of practice but no contact still.” Suggs missed the last nine games before the All-Star break due to a left quad contusion.
• Expect better results from Paolo Banchero after the All-Star break, Beede opines as he examines five storylines to watch for the remainder of the Magic‘s season. After missing 34 games due to a torn right abdominal muscle, Banchero has averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 turnovers per game while shooting 28.9% from 3-point range over the past 18 contests. Banchero said his main issue after recovering from the injury was getting back into top shape to play with the same energy and effort on a nightly basis.
• The Knicks got good grades on their midseason report card. The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy gives Josh Hart an A-plus, with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns earning As.

“It’s just very important that we keep understanding that everyone’s body is different [and] how they respond to treatment is different,” head coach Jamahl Mosley told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “We’re going to make sure he’s taken care of the right way and understand exactly how we integrate guys back because this is for the long haul.”

The Magic have gone 5-14 over their past 19 games. Their overall defensive rating of 109.0 still ranks third in the league, but it was at 106.4 prior to Suggs’ first 10-game absence and has has been just 113.9 (14th) during that 19-game span without him.

“Jalen is a huge piece for us in what he does and his energy and his enthusiasm — same as Moe Wagner (who is out for the season),” Mosley said. “You can’t replace those pieces whether you try to or not. To put the weight of the entire defense on a young man and what he provides, it’s tough to do.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

• Andrew Wiggins‘ Heat debut didn’t go well. He shot 3-of-12 shooting from the field while scoring 11 points in 30 minutes against Boston on Monday. Wiggins, acquired from Golden State in the Jimmy Butler blockbuster, wasn’t fazed and knows an adjustment period will be necessary. “That’s the NBA for you,” he said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “It’s never going to be easy. Every game is going to be a dog fight, every game is important, especially for this team. I’m learning my way through. But at the end of the day, it’s basketball. I’ve been playing it since I was a kid. So I think I’ll be fine.”
• The Heat will play a preseason game in Puerto Rico this fall, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. It will be the team’s seventh exhibition in Puerto Rico over the team’s 38 seasons but their first since 2006.
• Veteran big man Larry Nance Jr. would likely draw a lot of interest in the buyout market but The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie doubts that Nance and the Hawks will pursue that avenue. League sources tell Vecenie that Atlanta coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of the 32-year-old, who has been in the Hawks’ rotation since returning last month from hand surgery. Nance will sit out Wednesday’s game due to a knee injury.

Williams is still week-to-week as he continues to recover from a grade 3 ankle sprain, a team spokesperson announced on Wednesday.

“Based on prior timeline, the hope was for him to play by the end of this month,” the spokesperson said, “but unfortunately sounds like Vince’s return from the significant sprain will take a bit longer.”

Williams, 24, had a breakout season in 2023/24 for the Grizzlies, averaging 10.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game with a .446/.378/.800 shooting line in 52 appearances (33 starts). Health issues have limited him to just three outings so far in ’24/25.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

• After missing 10 games due to a low back strain, Magic guard Jalen Suggs suffered a left quad contusion on Saturday in his first game back and had to sit out Monday’s contest in Miami. Suggs wasn’t able to practice on Wednesday, but it sounds like the injury shouldn’t cost him much time —  he’s listed as questionable for Thursday’s game in Portland, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links). Orlando is 4-9 this season when Suggs doesn’t play.
• While Suggs’ status for Thursday is up in the air, Magic wing Gary Harris appears to be trending toward a return after missing the past 13 games with a left hamstring strain. Harris took contact in Wednesday’s practice and is listed as probable for Thursday, Beede notes.
• After exiting Monday’s loss to the Lakers in the second quarter due to a left ankle injury, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been ruled out for Wednesday’s matchup with Brooklyn, per the team (Twitter links). The Hornets announced on Tuesday that Ball is still having the ankle evaluated and that updates will be provided as appropriate.
• The Warriors continue to carefully monitor Stephen Curry‘s workload, holding him out of Tuesday’s win over Utah due to bilateral knee injury management, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. It was the first end of a back-to-back set and the first game in a stretch of three games in four days, as head coach Steve Kerr pointed out. “We take it day-to-day, week-to-week, and it made sense to give him the night off and try to get him right for the rest of the week,” Kerr said.

Orlando went 2-8 with Suggs sidelined and enters tonight on a five-game losing streak. After a strong start to the season, the Magic have fallen into seventh place in the East at 23-23.

Suggs, who last played on January 3, was in the midst of a career-best season before getting hurt. Through 34 games, the 23-year-old guard was averaging career highs with 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per night. He’s a vital part of the team’s defense, earning an All-Defensive Second Team nod and finishing 10th in the Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.

The Magic are starting to get healthier after a long string of injuries that sidetracked their season. Paolo Banchero returned from a torn oblique two weeks ago, and Franz Wagner was back in the lineup Thursday for the first time since suffering the same injury.

Suggs will start tonight alongside Banchero, Wagner, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr., tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who notes that it’s the first time Orlando’s opening-night starting lineup has been together since October 30.

“Just the familiarity of being around each other,” coach Jamahl Mosley said of the benefit of having his preferred starters back together (Twitter video link). “And I’ll start by saying it’s not going to be the same as opening night. These guys haven’t been together. There’s minutes that these guys have to hold. But we do expect the standard of play of the continuity, the togetherness, the toughness, the defensive focus that we’ve constantly talked about. Us being who we are, you can expect that from this group tonight.”

12:14pm: Forward Franz Wagner has been sidelined since December 6 — a span of 20 games — after tearing his right oblique, but he’s close to returning to action for the Magic, who have listed the former lottery pick as questionable for Thursday’s matchup with Portland, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley said Wagner “was able to go through shootaround (on Thursday morning) and is obviously progressing well so we’ll see what the day brings after this shootaround.” Speaking to reporters afterward, Wagner confirmed there’s a chance he’ll play tonight (Twitter video link via Beede).

“(The questionable tag) means that I might play, I might not,” the German said with a smile. “We’ll see how the day goes. But it feels really good. It was a long process and I’m not the most patient person.”

Wagner, 23, was having a breakout fourth season for Orlando prior to the injury, averaging career-best numbers in several counting stats, including points (24.4), rebounds (5.6), assists (5.7) and steals per game (1.7). He posted a shooting slash line of .465/.321/.881 in 25 contests (33.2 minutes).

On January 14, Wagner had his status changed to “return to competition reconditioning,” stating at the time that his muscle had fully healed and that he felt good, but he needed to get back in playing shape. It was the first significant absence of his career — he had only missed 13 total games in three seasons leading up to 2024/25.

Wagner’s return appearing imminent is certainly great news for the Magic, who went just 7-13 without him, including losing their last four games. Orlando is currently the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-22. The team has been dominant when Wagner is on the court (plus-8.6 per 100 possession), but has struggled mightily (minus-5.9) when he’s not.

Orlando has dealt with significant injury absences all season. Mosley provided updates on several other injured players on Thursday, according to Beede:

• Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol) did some on-court work on Thursday to see how he’ll respond, but he didn’t take contact and he’s listed as doubtful Thursday.
• Both Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Gary Harris (left hamstring strain) worked out Thursday and the team will see how they’re doing afterward. Suggs remains out, while Harris is questionable vs. Portland.
• Jonathan Isaac (illness) is officially questionable, but Mosley said he’s feeling much better and will suit up tonight.
• Cole Anthony is also dealing with an illness and wasn’t at shootaround, but there’s a chance he could play if he’s feeling better in a handful of hours — he’s officially questionable.
• Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) is questionable. He did some on-court work at shootaround.

The Hawks will be down another forward in the short term, as Zaccharie Risacher, who missed Wednesday’s game vs. Chicago due to left adductor irritation, has been ruled out for two additional contests, per the club.

Risacher will be inactive for Saturday’s visit to Boston and Monday’s to New York before being reevaluated when the Hawks return home from their road trip ahead of next Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

• Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving will be back in action on Friday vs. Oklahoma City after sitting out the second end of a back-to-back set on Wednesday following his return from a back injury. Head coach Jason Kidd said he expects Irving to play “in the 33 (minute) range,” per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link).
• Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is dealing with a bone chip in the thumb, isn’t facing his old team on Friday, having been ruled out of New York’s game vs. Minnesota just over a half-hour before tip-off, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. Reporting this week indicated that Towns plans to play through his thumb injury, so it’s possible he’ll be back in action on Monday vs. Atlanta.
• Suns center Jusuf Nurkic won’t play on Saturday in Detroit, having been ruled out for a fourth straight game due to an illness, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Prior to the illness, Nurkic was removed from Phoenix’s starting lineup and was a DNP-CD in two games last week. Suns guard Bradley Beal, who sat out on Thursday due to a left ankle sprain, is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s contest.
• Sidelined since January 3 due to a lower back strain, Magic guard Jalen Suggs said he’s “really itching to get back out on the court,” writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. An exact return timeline remains unclear, but Suggs has made good progress since being on “bed rest for a couple days” after first sustaining the injury. “Hopefully I’ll be out here soon,” he said on Friday.

The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.

“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”

Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

• Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
• The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
• Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
• Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”

During a 109-106 defeat to Milwaukee on Friday, the 6’10” star scored 34 points in just 27 minutes, showing off a versatile offensive attack that included five three-pointers. Banchero had been shelved with a torn right abdominal muscle since an October 30 loss to Chicago.

“The kid’s been working his tail off to get back in,” Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “What he was able to do with poise, taking the right shots [at] the right time, defending, taking matchups on, this tells you how much he wants to go get it and get after it.

There’s more out of Orlando:

• Rookie Magic forward Tristan da Silva, who thrived with Banchero sidelined, continued to play strongly even when the All-Star returned to action, Beede notes in another piece. Da Silva secured the first double-double of his career in the Bucks bout, scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 boards. “He’s just a natural,” Banchero raved of da Silva. “He can kind of fit out there with anybody, any lineup.”
• Mosley provided a minor update on the health of Jalen Suggs on Sunday, including explaining why the injured guard has been away from the Magic‘s bench for the past couple games, Beede tweets. “I think it’s one of those things [that’s] precautionary more than anything,” Mosley said. “With the back [injury], sitting on the bench is not necessarily conducive to how you’re supposed to feel in that scenario… He’s been able to move a little bit here and there on the floor, getting up and getting down a little bit, but nothing with contact.”
• In case you missed it, Marc Stein believes Mosley has a real shot at earning Coach of the Year honors. Even with long-term injury absences of Banchero and Franz Wagner, among others, Orlando has held steady as a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.

Speaking to the media after Thursday’s shootaround, Banchero discussed his lengthy layoff and what he learned while being sidelined, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter video links). The 21-year-old said having more time to watch helped him process the game in a different way, but he’s ready to get back on the court.

“I feel like my coaching career, I’m happy for it to be over,” Banchero said jokingly. “I want to start playing again, but it was fun while it lasted.”

Banchero also talked about how he sustained the injury and what he learned from the incident, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

“I think it was a play where I think I made, like, a jump pass and contorted my body in a weird way and just felt that,” Banchero said. “It happens, and I think some of it had to do with fatigue, which is partially on me. I was playing really well, so I was maybe not telling guys, or the team, when I was tired. So, I think fatigue maybe had something to do with it, just playing so hard. So, I definitely (have) got to start listening to my body. No matter how good I’m playing, if I’m dead-tired, I’ve got to come out of the game.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

• Despite dealing with injuries to several key players, the banged-up Magic are confident they can compete with any team in the NBA, according to Beede. “We really can roll out any five [players] and compete,” big man Wendell Carter said. “The proof is in the pudding now. We’ve competed and won against some of the top teams in the league. It’s really just a belief system.” Jalen Suggs, who remains out as he deals with a lower back strain, plays a major role in the team’s conviction. “Suggs is the heart of this team,” guard Cole Anthony said. “Obviously we miss him but we know that we’re going to have his support whether he’s playing or not. It’s awesome to have a dude like that in our corner and I can’t wait to get him back.”
• Carter missed 12 games earlier in the season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He said after Monday’s win in New York that he’s starting to round into form, as Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel. “I’m definitely starting to get my swag back,” said Carter, who scored a season-high 19 points vs. the Knicks. “That’s something I kind of lost when I went down early. Coming back, trying to get back in tune with the team — went from starting and came off the bench a couple of games and back to starting, guys coming in and out of the lineup — it’s kind of tough for me just to find my groove. But it’s a lot of kudos to my teammates. They keep me [in] high spirits, tell me how good a player I am when I’m aggressive.”
• Center Moritz Wagner underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the torn ACL in his left knee, the Magic announced in a press release (Twitter link). The German big man will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season. Wagner could hit unrestricted free agency this summer if Orlando declines the $11MM team option on his contract for ’25/26.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

• Jalen Johnson has become Trae Young‘s co-star in the Hawks‘ offensive attack. They are increasingly relying on Johnson in their quick-passing, fast-breaking offense, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger notes how Johnson ranks among the top five in the league in passes made per game and that he also ranks the top 10 in frontcourt touches for non-centers. Johnson is averaging a career-best 5.3 assists per game.
• Two-way Hawks player Keaton Wallace has spent the majority of his time with the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, but he also saw action in four late December games with the NBA club. Wallace, a 25-year-old rookie, doesn’t mind going back and forth between the two teams, he told Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I’ve been feeling all right,” he said. “This is part of the process of being converted to a two-way (contract). I’m just accepting everything that comes with it.”
• LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller were back in the Hornets lineup against Cleveland on Sunday. They hadn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 26. Ball  was battling left ankle soreness and right wrist soreness, while Miller had a left ankle injury.

It’s the latest in a seemingly endless string of injuries for Orlando, which was already playing without stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, along with Anthony Black, Moritz Wagner and Gary Harris. Beede said Suggs seemed to be in good spirits after the game, but “the concern level was real” about the injury, which was diagnosed as a lower back strain.

“Hopefully it’s not as bad as it looked out there,” Cory Joseph said. “It’s kind of been, unfortunately, a theme this season — we have guys going down. We just know ‘next man up’ mentality but definitely we wanted to pull this one out for him, as for Moe and Franz, Paolo, Gary and AB. Too many people, right? So, [we] never want to see that happen but we know he’s a fighter and whatever it is, he’ll overcome it. For us, we’ve just got to continue the course.”

There’s more on the Magic:

• Tristan Da Silva set a career high in scoring for the second time this week with 25 points Friday night, Beede adds in the same piece. The rookie small forward had 21 points against Brooklyn on Wednesday, but he has also been held scoreless in two of his last four games. “I’m just really trying to take it all in as a journey,” Da Silva said. “As a rookie, you’re obviously going to have ups and downs. There’s games where you might not play as well, where the shot is not falling. And you have games like tonight where you feel really good. But I’m just trying to stay even-keeled and trying to not let a single game kind of define my mental headspace.”
• Harris is dealing with another left hamstring strain, the same injury that sidelined him for 13 games earlier in the season, Beede tweets. Harris missed Friday’s contest and has already been ruled out for Sunday.
• Joseph, a native of Canada, scored in double figures for the first time with the Magic during Friday’s game at Toronto, Beede states in a separate story. It was part of a dominant night for Orlando’s reserves, who outscored Toronto’s bench, 43-18.

“Paolo was able to go through some light contact through practice, but that’s about it,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Banchero recently stated that he’ll have to go through full contact work and participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages before being cleared to return.

Suggs sustained a right wrist sprain on Sunday vs. Brooklyn, but it sounds like the injury is relatively minor. The All-Defensive guard was able to practice on Tuesday and is probable for Wednesday’s game, according to Beede.

As for Black, he did not practice on Tuesday and is questionable for today’s game due to a lower back contusion. The second-year guard has missed one game to this point with the injury.

Here are a few more notes from the Southeast Division:

• Despite significant injuries to Banchero, Franz Wagner and most recently Moritz Wagner, who is out for the season after tearing his ACL, the Magic have remained highly competitive, currently holding a 20-14 record, good for the No. 4 seed in the East. In a subscriber-only column for The Orlando Sentinel, Mike Bianchi argues that Mosley should be the frontrunner for the NBA’s Coach of the Year award for the way he’s managed the team — and the resilience the club has displayed — amid the absences.
• In a post-game interview on NBA TV (Twitter video link), former NBA head coach Sam Mitchell noted that Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has started to receive some All-Star buzz. Asked if he’s been thinking about that possibility, Johnson said it’s a secondary priority. “I’ve got All-Star on my mind, but there’s more important things at task right now and that’s winning,” he said.
• Last Friday, the Hawks signed guard/forward Daeqwon Plowden to a two-way contract. The deal covers two years, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac, which means Plowden will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2026. All two-way deals are non-guaranteed, however, so it’s certainly not a lock that Plowden will still be on Atlanta’s roster by that point.

As Robbins notes, Kuzma has missed the past 12 games with a sprained rib cartilage, having last played on Nov. 27. The two sides will determine if he’s able to suit up in the hours leading up to the game.

League executives believe the Wizards are “eager” to move Kuzma before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, as Marc Stein reported last week. However, the bonuses in his contract could complicate matters for suitors operating in close proximity to the tax aprons.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

• The Raptors will have a handful of players back in action on Sunday vs. Atlanta, including swingman Bruce Brown, who will be making his season debut following offseason knee surgery, and starting center Jakob Poeltl, who has missed the past four games with a groin issue (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca).
• Ja Morant will be sidelined for Sunday’s matchup with Oklahoma City due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, the Grizzlies announced (story via Tim MacMahon of ESPN). It’s unclear how much time Morant might miss beyond Sunday’s contest between the top-two seeds in the West.
• The Celtics will be without Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain) and Jrue Holiday (right shoulder impingement) for Sunday’s contest vs. Indiana, the team announced (Twitter links). Both starters had previously been listed as questionable. Asked about Holiday’s status, head coach Joe Mazzulla suggested the injury was relatively minor, as Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets. “He’s getting better every day,” Mazzulla said. “He’ll continue to get better and we’ll see how it is.”
• All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs sustained a right wrist sprain on Sunday against Brooklyn and was ruled out for the remainder of the game, the Magic announced (via Twitter). Any type of extended absence for Suggs would certainly be rough — Orlando has already been playing without three of its top four scorers (Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner). Suggs, who signed a lucrative long-term extension with the Magic before the season began, has averaged a career-best 16.8 points per game in 2024/25.

Their fourth-leading scorer, Moritz Wagner, suffered a torn left ACL in the first quarter. And big man Wendell Carter was ejected in the second quarter after a pair of technical fouls.

As Josh Robbins of The Athletic writes, Orlando trailed by 22 points entering the fourth quarter, then proceeded to outscore the Heat 37-8 in the final frame, completing one of the biggest comebacks in NBA history. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), it had been five years since a team had lost when leading by at least 22 points entering the final period.

“You can’t really explain that,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “That’s something I haven’t seen. I have not seen that ever in my years in the league: the ability to stay with it despite all of the circumstances that started in the beginning of the game.”

Backup guard Cole Anthony, who has struggled to find a rhythm for much of the season (entering Monday, he’s averaging a career-low 11.7 minutes per game), erupted for season highs of 35 points (27 in the second half), eight rebounds and nine assists, with Orlando outscoring Miami by 17 points in his 28 minutes on the court. The 24-year-old was emotional during his post-game interview, as he’s been frustrated by his performances but loves playing for the Magic. A close-knit group, three of his teammates were waiting to congratulate him after the game, per Robbins.

“Just to feel that same love back and know I’m always going to get that same love, it’s something that I don’t think is appreciated as much, especially around the league,” Anthony said later. “You don’t get this many good people in one organization. You don’t get this many high-character people in one organization. So, I’m just blessed to be a part of this.”

Here’s more on the Magic:

• They followed up their impressive comeback against Miami with another come-from-behind victory on Monday against the reigning champion Celtics, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. According to the team’s PR department (Twitter link), it was the first time Orlando has registered comebacks of at least 15 points in consecutive games since Feb. 7-9, 2014. Trevelin Queen, who provided a major energy boost vs. Miami, started the first game of his career on Monday and tied a career-high with 17 points, Beede notes, while first-rounder Tristan Da Silva notched a team-high 18 points, including a clutch three-pointer late to seal the victory. Carter moved to the bench so the Magic would have more size in the absence of Moe Wagner, Beede adds.
• Moe Wagner was understandably upset that he’ll miss the rest of the season with a major knee injury, but also said he was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support he’s received throughout the organization, according to Robbins. “(Keeping an even keel is) part of what (I) try to ask our guys to do in those moments, but the reality is we’re all human beings, and it broke me a little bit,” Mosley said Monday. “I teared up as I watched Moe go down because you watched the work that he’s put in, you watched the tear he was on. I mean, he was in the running probably, in my mind, for Sixth Man of the Year, (with) the energy that he brings to this team, the toughness he brings to this team. It shook me a little bit.”
• Banchero continues to recover from a torn oblique he sustained on Oct. 30, the same injury Franz Wagner suffered on Dec. 6. The former No. 1 overall pick was doing some light shooting and ball-handling work prior to Saturday’s game, and Suggs says he’s eager to have the 22-year-old back in the lineup. “Just having his presence back amongst us is going to be amazing,” Suggs said, per Beede. “He’s used his voice throughout the time he’s been out. I know it’s been hard for him. It always is when you’re not playing to speak up at times and things like that. But to see how mentally locked in he’s been throughout this process, it’s been really cool.”