Defense-Reliant Magic Misses Suggs, but Burden Isn't All His

Despite having the league's lowest-scoring offense, the Orlando Magic could manufacture wins because of their top-three defense. Removing All-NBA defender Jalen Suggs for 18 of the past 19 games has made life difficult, but the responsibility is not all his.

Atlanta Hawks guard Caris LeVert (3) is guarded by Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) in the first quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic know the pressure that Jalen Suggs carries as the front man of their defense.

They also know that when he's out of the lineup, things are often just "different."

Because of injuries, the fourth-year guard has missed 18 of the past 19 games and likely is sidelined for the Magic's final game before the All-Star break Wednesday versus Charlotte.

"You can't replace what that young man does," Mosley said before Orlando's loss to the Hawks. That same sentiment was shared when Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner suffered months-long injuries, contributing to why the Magic's outlook on this season has experienced a seismic shift.

Suggs crawls into the ball, is active with his hands and picks up 94 feet. He invites contact like a middle linebacker. Speaking with reporters moments after Mosley's pregame comments, Suggs expressed how much he missed putting his body on the line on a nightly basis.

Energy can sometimes become a catch-all buzzword to mask deficiencies elsewhere. But in Suggs' case, there is no other way to describe his impact on the floor.

Behind him, the Magic take on his competitive fire every single possession. Remove him from 22 of 25 games in 2025 and Orlando's defensive slippage should be no surprise.

Before Suggs was wheelchaired off the floor in Toronto with a lower back injury on Jan. 3, the Magic defense was allowing 106.4 points per 100 possessions — third-stingiest in the NBA. They were 21-15, staying afloat without leading scorers Banchero and Wagner.

Since then, Orlando has been allowing 113.9 points per 100 possessions — 15th among 30 teams. Pair that statistic with the league's lowest-scoring offense and the result is 14 losses in 19 games.

For the season, the Magic defense is still the NBA's third-best at 109.0 points per 100 possessions, but Orlando holds itself to a higher standard.

"It's been rough, man," Jonathan Isaac said of Orlando's defense over the past month. "We're continuing to try to figure it out, continue to work at it. We've kind of slopped off there. I don't think it's an energy and effort problem. I think we're just not as dialed in or locked in as we have been in the past."

Their .263 winning percentage in that span is third-worst in the NBA, only better than Utah (which beat the Magic twice in this stretch) and Washington. Those two teams are a combined 21-84.

"Once we get Jalen back, I think that's really going to help us because he's, I think, the anchor of our defense," center Goga Bitadze said. "Everything starts with him. When he's on the court, the Orlando Magic [are] a different team."

Bitadze is correct. According to Cleaning the Glass, Suggs has the third-highest on-off differentials in points scored versus points allowed per 100 possessions. His +4.8 differential trails only Wagner (+14.2) and Banchero (+10.3).

Defensively, opponents are 6.6 points per 100 possessions worse when Suggs is on the floor. That's second-best, trailing only Wagner this time (6.9).

The identical 32.1 usage rates for Wagner and Banchero — sixth and seventh-highest in the league — point to Orlando's heavy offensive reliance upon its two stars.

But with Suggs' eventual return, the Magic want to be careful about both putting too much of the onus on him to reinstate their defensive identity.

"To put the weight of the entire defense on a young man and what he provides, it's tough to do because our defense is holding in some parts but there's also pieces missing that we just have to have other guys step up in those moments to do," Mosley said.

"I don't want to do that. We can't do that. Because it is about other guys being able to step into the moment — they won't do it like him, but we can do it as a committee, which we've always said."

The Hornets, whom the Magic have beaten twice, visit the Kia Center Wednesday in the final game before the week-long All-Star stoppage. Charlotte will be without nine of their top 11 scorers because of trades or injuries, and their offense neighbors Orlando's in the league's bottom tier.

Regardless of Suggs' status for the contest, the Magic need something to cling onto entering the break.

Related Stories on the Orlando Magic

• SUGGS FINDING COMFORT IN RECOVERY: As he works back from a left quad injury, the Magic's fourth-year guard is working himself back to 100 percent. CLICK HERE
• LATEST MAGIC NOTEBOOK: Banchero's Seattle connection with Spurs coach, Jamahl Mosley makes history, and more. CLICK HERE
• FRANZ IS MAGIC'S 'ULTIMATE COMPETITOR': Franz Wagner's undeniable stardom has carried its weight in gold. CLICK HERE
• MOE'S PRESENCE 'WAS HUGE': Back on the Magic bench for the first time since tearing his ACL, Moe Wagner's presence alone "was huge" for Orlando's win over the Spurs. CLICK HERE
• MAGIC'S MONTH AT HOME COMES AT RIGHT TIME: The key to capitalizing on 10 home games in the next month? "Embracing each moment." CLICK HERE

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