ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Magic’s Wednesday practice at AdventHealth Training Center – the last one before departing for a Thursday date with the Atlanta Hawks – was minus a full participant.

Jalen Suggs, who’s dealt with a left quad contusion since the fourth quarter of the Magic’s Jan. 25 game versus Detroit, only participated in non-contact portions of the session, coach Jamahl Mosley said post-practice.

Then, Suggs was listed as out on the Magic’s 12:30 p.m. Wednesday injury report. His absence versus the Hawks will be his 10th straight game predating the All-Star break, and the 20th missed game over Orlando’s last 21.

The night he sustained the injury, Suggs was diagnosed with a sore left knee before leaving the Kia Center that evening.

For a portion of games following, Suggs was listed as questionable before an eventual downgrade to out. Then, he began to be listed as doubtful before the same downgrades would come.

This instance, however, marks the first time he’s been ruled out more than 24 hours in advance of tipoff.

Asked Wednesday if there’s something deeper about his bruise that’s slowing his process, Mosley said no, cautioning the same thing he did when both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner had extended absences with their right abdominal muscle tears: “Everybody responds to treatment, everybody responds to different injuries differently.

“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 percent on the court because he’s trying to push certain things,” Mosley added. “I think it’s so important that we get him back fully healthy where there is no nagging pain as we go through it.”

Whenever Suggs is back available, there will be little time for readjustment.

The 7:30 p.m. tip with the Hawks is the first of 26 games in 52 days to close the regular season. Orlando finds itself rooted in a tightly contested East playoff race, and an every-other-day pace of games could be a daunting task for Suggs to walk back into.

Balancing his recovery with the remaining season’s shortening runway, Orlando desires to accommodate his health more than anything.

“I really do believe that getting it right is the most important thing,” Mosley said. “I understand there is a timeline and 26 games left in 53 days now, I get that. We all get that.

“But also, the longevity of this young man and his career is also very important to make sure that we’re not rushing something back that’s not all the way right. I think that’s very important that we continue to stay on the same page when it comes to that.”

The challenge in finding the happy medium is amplified by Orlando’s struggles while missing Suggs.

Over the last 20 games, the Magic have won just six – one being the singular game he was available. In that time, Orlando owns the NBA’s second-worst net rating – scoring a a league-low 104.3 points per 100 possessions while surrendering 112.9.

For context, the Magic’s defense over the course of the entire year is allowing 108.7 points per 100 possessions, which is the third-best mark in the league.

“It’s been a lot,” veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said of Suggs’ missing impact over the last month and a half. “Especially for us defensively, and then offensively, he’s our point guard. He gets us in spots, and it seems a bit more easier flow[ing] with him when he’s back. As far as defensive-wise, that’s where we miss him the most. The way he puts heat on the ball, the way he guards, the energy that he brings – everybody feeds off of that, even myself.

“Just having him come back for us as soon as possible is going to be great for us. I think that’s going to complete our team.”

The Magic and Hawks tip at 7:30 p.m. at the State Farm Arena on Thursday, Feb. 20.

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