Isaac could return Sunday
Rookie forward
could return from a lengthy absence when the Orlando Magic face the Detroit Pistons on Sunday in Detroit.
Isaac practiced Thursday for the first time since he sprained his right ankle on Nov. 11, and he reported no subsequent problems with his ankle on Friday morning. But the Magic’s medical staff decided to hold Isaac out of Friday night’s setback to the Portland Trail Blazers as a precaution.
It was the 17th consecutive game Isaac has missed, and the Magic lost to the Trail Blazers 95-88 at Amway Center.
“Having missed five weeks, the medical team felt like just one practice wasn’t enough to just throw him in the game,” coach
said. “So we’re going to get him more work before he’s ready.”
The Magic will not practice today and will not hold a shootaround Sunday morning, so it’s unclear if the medical staff will be comfortable with Isaac playing on Sunday.
The team has missed Isaac, a 20-year-old who has stood out on the defensive end of the floor.
On Friday night, however, the Magic suffered another setback on the injury front. Although returned from a two-game absence due to a concussion, Gordon strained his right calf in the fourth quarter and didn’t return to the game.
Gordon’s chances of playing Sunday in Detroit seem iffy at best, so having Isaac return against the Pistons — if Isaac is healthy, that is — would be a welcome sight for the Magic. Swingman
who entered Friday as the Magic’s secondleading scorer, sat out against the Trail Blazers because of a sprained right ankle. It was the fourth consecutive game he has missed.
Fournier said this is the third ankle sprain he’s ever suffered, and the previous two were minor injuries.
Watching from the sideline has been just as painful emotionally to Fournier as it was to Gordon.
“It’s really frustrating because those last four games, I thought, were really important for us,” Fournier said. “It was the right moment for us to go back to .500. Having so many guys out, it’s tough, man. It’s bad timing again.”
With suffering from back spasms and Fournier still out, coach
started on the wing. Hezonja posted season highs of 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks in the Magic’s loss Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Vogel said he wanted to put a taller defender on the Trail Blazers’ who is effective posting up, so Hezonja was a natural choice for the assignment.
In 21 minutes Friday, Hezonja scored four points and gathered two assists. Turner finished with eight points.
On Nov. 15 in Portland, the Magic sought to limit the scoring opportunities for Trail Blazers guards
and The Magic fared well, holding them to 50 points combined. But that emphasis on slowing Lillard and McCollum helped Blazers guard produce one of the best nights of his career. Napier added 19 points and sank all five of his 3-point tries.
“It seems like every time, whether it’s or or whoever, we say, ‘Let’s doubleteam and take the ball out of their hands,’ it always leads to an open 3 or a dunk,” Vogel said. “It’s easy for the common fan to sit here and say, ‘Double-team and the get ball out of his hands.’ The other guys make plays and can play 4-on-3 basketball.”
On Friday, the Magic held Lillard and McCollum to 41 combined points and limited the Trail Blazers to 43 percent shooting.
the Blazers’ starting power forward, scored 15 points and made three of the five 3-pointers he attempted.
Magic officials said they raised $215,000 from their 27th annual OMYF Open golf tournament, which was held Thursday to raise funds for the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation.