Magic Notebook: Cole Anthony is Nearly Back, Play-In and G League Check-Ins

The Orlando Magic conclude a three-game homestand on Monday night versus the Los Angeles Clippers. Before tipoff, here's the latest whiparound of topics surrounding the Magic from the last week.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) shoots the ball over Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. –– The Orlando Magic host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday evening to wrap their second-to-last homestand of the regular season.

The contest, critical for each team's seeding, is game 76 of Orlando's regular season. The Magic are 36-39 with eyes for the No. 7 seed in the East, and potentionally higher.

But, before tipoff, here's a whiparound of all the topics you may have missed regarding Magic basketball in the past week.

The latest edition of the Magic notebook:

Cole Anthony's return nears

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) warms up prior to a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Kia Center. / Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

Issues with injuries have been more than just a subtle side plot in the Magic's season. But after the season-ending knee surgeries shelved Jalen Suggs and Moe Wagner until next year at the earliest, Cole Anthony's impending return is the last step for this iteration of Orlando to be back healthy.

Having missed eight of nine games and nine total contests in March with a left big toe strain, Anthony told reporters his recovery process is "at a pretty good spot right now."

Orlando upgraded him to questionable before Monday night's matchup with the LA Clippers, and he was able to increase his workload during the morning's team shootaround. He's previously been going through shooting workouts without taking contact.

When he returns, he'll join a Magic team that is locked into a late-season push for Play-In Tournament seeding.

"Obviously a lot of on-ball shot creation and offensive creativity out there, which is something we definitely need, just another ball-handler," said Franz Wagner at Monday's shootaround when asked what Anthony's return would soon provide. "I think it's really important to have a lot of guys that make decisions with the ball, and that's going to be important for us."

"CA is on his way back, and we're going to need him, too," Wendell Carter Jr. said.

With Colin Castleton back, Osceola Magic secure top seed in G League Playoffs

While the Magic were busy securing a spot in at least the Play-In Tournament with a dominant win over the Sacramento Kings, the Osceola Magic were locking down playoff positioning of their own a half-hour south.

By virtue of a 124-119 win over the Birmingham Squadron in the final game of the G League regular season, Osceola claimed the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

And, Osceola welcomed back big man Colin Castleton after his two 10-day contracts with the Toronto Raptors had finished. He scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the win, and two-way guard Mac McClung scored 26 points to lead the way.

The Magic went 22-12 in the regular season.

Below is the schedule for Osceola's playoff run:

• Conference Semifinal (Osceola Heritage Park) – Thursday, April 3, 8 p.m. ET, ESPNews: (1) Osceola vs. (4) Indiana/(5) Greensboro

• Conference Final (Osceola Heritage Park) – Sunday, April 6, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

• NBA G League Finals, Game 1 (Osceola Heritage Park) – Tuesday, April 8, TBD

• NBA G League Finals, Game 2 (Western Conference Opp.) – Friday, April 11, TBD

• NBA G League Finals, Game 3 (Osceola Heritage Park) – Monday, April 14, TBD

Magic, Wendell Carter Jr. unveil new basketball court in Sanford

On Friday, the Magic and AdventHealth continued their commitment to the local Central FL community by unveiling a newly refurbished basketball court at Coastline Park in Sanford.

Carter and Nick Anderson were among those on hand for the celebration, which included them leading a basketball clinic for local youth.

It's the sixth of 20 courts the franchise and AdventHealth plan to unveil throughout the region.

Play-In (and Southeast) race with Atlanta

The Magic and Hawks are in a two-horse race for the No. 7 seed with less than two weeks to play. Whichever team does will have a decided advantage in the Play-In (and will be crowned the Southeast Division champion.)

Orlando and Atlanta still yet have two matchups this season – April 8 at the Kia Center and April 13 at State Farm Arena on the final day of the regular season.

Before Monday's games tipped off, the Magic trailed the Hawks by a half-game for the No. 7 spot. When the final buzzer sounds, Atlanta will have two games in hand.

To follow along with the latest surrounding the East Play-In race, check in with this updated tracker.

Other notes...

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have each scored 20-plus points in seven consecutive games dating back to March 16. Only Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway's eight-game streak from Nov. 21-Dec. 6, 1994 is longer by a duo in franchise history.

It is also tied for the fourth-longest streak in NBA history by a duo aged 23 or younger.

Banchero and Wagner are on track to be the Magic's first set of teammates to each average 20 points a game in a season since O'Neal and Hardaway.

Jonathan Isaac was candid recently about his lessened role in the Magic's rotation. But, in the Magic's win over the Kings, he played 19 minutes and recorded a bucket, a rebound, an assist and two steals. He was plus-8 in the contest.

Caleb Houstan leads the NBA in three-point shooting over his last eight games, knocking down 62.5 percent of his 32 attempts. He's now shooting a career-best 39.6 percent from three in his third NBA season.

Markelle Fultz notched six points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals during his Orlando homecoming on Saturday. The Magic welcomed back the five-year Orlando guard with a tribute video thanking him for his time with the organization.

"It's like a home for me," Fultz said. "I've been here for five years, so it's somewhere dear and near to my heart."

"I'm glad they made a video and tribute for him, because I really do think he played a huge part in turning this thing around the last few years," Banchero said.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• HOUSTAN IS BASKETBALL-OBSESSED: "He really just cares about basketball and loves the game, loves his teammates, and loves the work that goes into it," Paolo Banchero said of Caleb Houstan. CLICK HERE
• ANTHONY IN 'PRETTY GOOD SPOT' WITH TOE INJURY RECOVERY: It may not be long before Cole Anthony is back on the court for the Magic. CLICK HERE
• FULTZ, ORLANDO TIES STILL TIGHT: Orlando was home for five years for Markelle Fultz. Although no longer with the team, that feeling hasn't left him. CLICK HERE
• 'WE'RE NOT DONE': The Magic officially know they've got postseason basketball on the horizon. But, that's not deviating their focus from finishing the year strong. CLICK HERE
• ISAAC CANDID ABOUT LESSENED ROLE: "Haven't shot it well, haven't played well overall, so I'm not necessarily blaming anybody or mad at anybody else but myself," Jonathan Isaac said. CLICK HERE
• LATE-SEASON GROWTH EVIDENT: The Magic's growth as the season comes to a close has Orlando playing some of its best basketball at the right time. CLICK HERE
• PAOLO'S CONFIDENCE AT 'ALL-TIME-HIGH': Paolo Banchero is playing the best basketball of his career. Has his third-year leap fully come to fruition? CLICK HERE

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