Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs left the court in a wheelchair on Friday after suffering an agonizing non-contact back injury against the Raptors.
Suggs had run to tackle Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley when he fell to the ground in pain and clutched his back.
The former Gonzaga standout appeared to be very uncomfortable on the court as his teammates looked on, before being wheeled off the court.
“I was in a lot of pain,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. he said after the game. He is already back in the locker room, tomorrow we will re-evaluate him. Right now it looks like back spasms.
Suggs exited the game, which Orlando won 106-97, with six points in 13 minutes.
According to a sports medicine doctor. Brian Sutterer MDSuggs would not be expected to miss any extended time if his injury is officially diagnosed as back spasms.
Jalen Suggs’ head was covered with a towel when he left the court in a wheelchair on Friday.
Suggs writhed on the floor in pain after his injury. His coach later said he appeared to be suffering from back spasms.
Suggs is averaging a career-high 16.4 points per game in his fourth season with the Magic.
Sutterer added that if Suggs doesn’t receive an MRI to detect the problem, he could return to the court in a few days.
However, should Suggs suffer a nerve or disc injury, he would have a longer absence.
Suggs played in a career-high 75 games last season, but has dealt with injury issues throughout his NBA career.
He played only 48 games in his rookie season after breaking his right thumb, and also played only 53 games the following year.
Now in his fourth season, Suggs is averaging a career-high 16.4 points per game as a consistent starter for the Magic.
Orlando’s next game is Sunday against the Jazz.