Paolo Banchero's Playing Status vs Philadelphia 76ers Revealed

Former No. 1 pick made return from injury ahead of matchup vs Sixers.
Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) reacts after his missed shot against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) reacts after his missed shot against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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Coming off arguably their most disappointing loss of the season thus far, the Philadelphia 76ers hit the road looking to get back in the win column. They're set to face off against an Orlando Magic team who just got some massive reinforcements.

Just five games into the season, the Magic suffered a massive setback when Paolo Banchero was sidelined due to an oblique injury. After spending nearly two months recovering, the former No. 1 pick made his return to action earlier this week.

Despite spending an elongated stretch on the sidelines, Banchero doesn't seem to have missed a step. In his first game back against the Milwaukee Bucks, he notched 34 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in a 109-106 loss.

After makings his return on Friday, Banchero will be in the lineup against the Sixers on Sunday. He is not listed on the injury report, meaning he is a full-go. Seeing as though it is only his second game back, the Magic will likely have Banchero on some form of minutes restriction.

This will be the fourth and final meeting between the Sixers and Magic on the season. These teams last faced off at the beginning of December, where they had a two-game mini-series. The Sixers were able to secure a win in the most recent game, but still trail 2-1 in the season series.

With Banchero back in the lineup, the Sixers now have a high-profile star they'll have to worry about. Nick Nurse will be calling on his wing players in a big way on Sunday, as multiple guys will likely be tasked with guarding him.

Sixers-Magic is set to tip-off at 6:00 pm Eastern Time.


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Kevin McCormick
KEVIN MCCORMICK

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers FanNation's All76ers. Since graduating from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management, he's gone on to pursue a career in journalism covering the NBA. Some of his previous bylines include 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and Sportskeeda.