NBA Notes: Magic, Jalen Suggs, Cavs, Evan Mobley, Pistons

Magic

Jalen Suggs was in the middle of one of the best halves of his career when the night took a painful turn.

Suggs went shot-for-shot with Knicks star Jalen Brunson during the first half of Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal, but a left hip injury forced him out in the third quarter, as relayed by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

Suggs was visibly uncomfortable afterward and will undergo further evaluation once the team returns to Orlando on Sunday.

“It’s the part that sucks the most,” Suggs said. “There’s nowhere else I would have rather been than on the court battling with my guys. But God has other plans.”

Suggs declined to speculate on the injury and struggled to stand as he left the locker room area. He said he was unsure exactly how it happened.

The injury occurred on a drive with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter when OG Anunoby stripped the ball. Suggs grabbed at his left hip, attempted to play through it, and briefly stayed in the game before being removed for good.

He finished with 26 points in just over 29 minutes after scoring 25 in the first half, repeatedly getting wherever he wanted against New York’s defense. The Knicks pulled away late for a 132-120 win.

Durability has been a recurring issue for Suggs, who has played more than 53 games in a season only once in his five-year career. Last season ended in January due to knee surgery.

Orlando, expected to contend in the East, is now 15-11 and already without Franz Wagner and recently reintegrating Paolo Banchero.

“He’s been battling through some pain the last few games,” Banchero said. “We don’t want to lose him.”

Cavaliers

In case you missed it, Evan Mobley will miss time, further testing the Cavaliers’ already thinned frontcourt.

Cleveland announced Saturday that Mobley has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left calf strain and is expected to miss approximately two-to-four weeks. The injury occurred Friday night in Washington and was confirmed by an MRI the following morning.

Mobley has been one of Cleveland’s most reliable contributors, appearing in 25 of the team’s first 26 games while averaging 19.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He also anchors the defense as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 1.6 blocks per game.

His absence comes with Jarrett Allen still sidelined by a right finger strain and Larry Nance Jr. also out with a calf injury. Veteran center Thomas Bryant is expected to take on a larger role as the Cavs attempt to navigate the injuries.

Pistons

After nearly a week off, the Pistons returned Friday looking like a team that had been waiting to make a point.

Detroit overwhelmed Atlanta with 142 points, improving to 20-5 and prompting center Jalen Duren to make a bold declaration, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.

“I think we’re the best team in the league,” Duren said. “And we’re going to continue to show it.”

The confidence is backed by depth. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff used all 13 available players, a luxury made possible by a clean injury report and a roster that is finally whole.

“That’s what we’ve been working toward,” Bickerstaff said. “Now you can make decisions.”

Those decisions include lineup experimentation, switching schemes and pressure-based looks. So far, Detroit has handled it all. They are winning, healthy and increasingly comfortable talking like a contender.