Jalen Suggs exits NBA Cup semifinal after hip injury
jalen-suggs-exits-nba-cup-semifinal-after-hip-injury
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs left Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against the New York Knicks after hurting his left hip midway through the third quarter.
The injury occurred with 5:58 remaining in the period when OG Anunoby stripped the ball from Suggs on a drive. Suggs cried out, grabbed his hip and attempted to continue playing, but he was removed for good shortly after the ensuing timeout.
Suggs, 24, had scored 25 points by halftime and finished with 26 in just over 29 minutes. New York pulled away late to win, 132-120.
“There’s nowhere else I would have rather been than on the court battling with my guys,” Suggs told reporters in the locker room. Visibly in pain, he declined further questions and said additional tests are scheduled when the team returns to Orlando on Sunday. “We’ll figure out what it is,” he added.
Teammate Paolo Banchero noted that Suggs had been “battling through some pain the last few games” and praised the guard’s first-half effort. “We don’t want to lose him,” Banchero said.
Injuries have shadowed Suggs throughout his five-year NBA career; he has topped 53 games played only once. Last season ended in January after knee surgery, and his rehabilitation extended into October.
Orlando, projected as an Eastern Conference contender, sits at 15-11 while dealing with multiple absences. Forward Franz Wagner is sidelined by a high left ankle sprain, and Banchero recently came back from a left groin strain.
Source: Hoops Rumors
