Jalen Suggs Out for Magic vs. Utah Sunday with Low Back Strain

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs left Friday night's game at Toronto in the second quarter with a back injury. Once the team returned home, Suggs was diagnosed with a low back strain and is set to miss Sunday's contest versus the Utah Jazz.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) shoots against Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji (30) during the first quarter at Scotiabank Arena. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs is set to miss Sunday's game versus the Utah Jazz with a low back strain.

Considering the nature of how his injury looked optically on Friday night when he suffered it, that seems to be a positive.

Suggs lunged for a steal in the second quarter of the Magic's win at Toronto when he fell to the ground and immediately grabbed at his back. After several minutes of laying on the Scotiabank Arena court, he was taken off the court via wheelchair despite attempts to be lifted to his feet by teammates.

Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) is attended to by the training staff after being injured against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Scotiabank Arena. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Strains can be tricky, involving variance in a lot of different aspects. But such is par for the injury-riddled Magic's course this season.

Oblique tears are almost an anomaly in the sport of basketball. Improbably, the Magic have dealt with two of them – Paolo Banchero first, then Franz Wagner.

When Banchero's injury was first discovered, he was ruled to have an oblique strain. Further examination revealed a worse fate. Over two months later, he could be nearing a return. FanDuel Sports Network's Magic broadcast reported Banchero was getting court work in over the Magic's two-game road trip.

Moe Wagner tore his left ACL four days before Christmas, ending the career year for the Magic's best bench scorer after just 30 games.

Gary Harris had a hamstring strain that caused him to miss a month of action. After three games, a re-aggravation means he's dealing with it again.

Anthony Black has missed three consecutive games with a back issue of his own. Back spasms were the initial diagnosis for his first absence before being it was further discovered to be a low back contusion – the listing he's had for three straight games now.

All that said, Suggs, who was nearly immobile Friday night, may have avoided a much worse fate if the immediate returns reign true. The Magic will continue to evaluate the fourth-year guard's status.

Four of the Magic's next five games are at home, but those five games will be spread over the course of just eight days.

Sunday's game versus Utah is a one-off at home before heading to New York on the second half of a back-to-back on Monday night. The Knicks matchup will be the fourth-and-final between them and the Magic this regular season.

Then, the Magic return home, hosting Minnesota Thursday and Milwaukee Friday, then closing out their three-game home stretch with Philadelphia on Sunday, January 12.

Milwaukee, Boston and Denver are the three games following that. Point being, the matchup with Utah is one the Magic have to take advantage of.

They'll be without Suggs, Banchero, the Wagner brothers and Harris for sure, but Black is questionable. Regardless, Orlando being down its top four scorers will make the task against Utah a tall one.

The Jazz notched their eighth win of the season Saturday night in Miami and will enter on the second-half of a back-to-back.

Tipoff from the Kia Center is at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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