{"id":27234,"date":"2019-11-22T07:00:14","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T12:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=27234"},"modified":"2019-11-21T22:47:04","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T03:47:04","slug":"orlando-magic-stars-nikola-vucevic-and-aaron-gordon-out-for-multiple-weeks-with-ankle-injuries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2019\/11\/22\/orlando-magic-stars-nikola-vucevic-and-aaron-gordon-out-for-multiple-weeks-with-ankle-injuries\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Magic Stars Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon Out For Multiple Weeks With Ankle Injuries"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Following a 113-97 loss to the<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/nba-teams\/toronto-raptors\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Toronto<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/nba-teams\/toronto-raptors\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Raptors<\/a> Wednesday night, the<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/nba-teams\/orlando-magic\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Orlando<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/nba-teams\/orlando-magic\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Magic<\/a> will now have to deal with the loss of their two key players. Magic All-Stars<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/v\/vucevni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Vucevic<\/a><\/strong> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gordoaa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Aaron Gordon<\/strong><\/a> are both out for multiple weeks due to ankle injuries.<\/p>\n<h1><strong>Orlando Magic Stars Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon Out For Multiple Weeks With Ankle Injuries<\/strong><\/h1>\n<h2><strong>Diagnosis\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>According to the Magic&#8217;s PR team, Gordon and Vucevic underwent an MRI Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Orlando Magic Injury Update : Gordon &amp; Vucevic <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1sxi97pDvJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/1sxi97pDvJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Magic_PR\/status\/1197654108553056258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 21, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Gordon suffers a right knee contusion and Vucevic suffers a right lateral ankle sprain. Vucevic&#8217;s status will have an update in 7-10 days, while Gordon&#8217;s status depends on his response to treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Both players suffered their injuries during the second quarter Wednesday night against the Raptors. Gordon landed awkwardly while going for a block, while Vucevic landed awkwardly on his right foot, rolling over this ankle following a block attempt to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/powelno01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Norman Powell<\/a><\/strong>&#8216;s layup.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OrlandoMagic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@OrlandoMagic<\/a> C Nikola Vucevic needs help getting to the locker room after his right ankle buckled upon landing on a block attempt. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dGPppGNrvm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/dGPppGNrvm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; John Denton (@JohnDenton555) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnDenton555\/status\/1197324476452626433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 21, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>More players have played all 14 games so far this season and have contributed well for the Magic. Gordon is averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. Vucevic is averaging a team-high-tying 17 points and team-high 11 rebounds.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Magic Needs Others To Step Up in Wake of Vucevic and Gordon&#8217;s Injuries\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When the Magic has its two best stars on the floor, it makes a huge difference for them offensively.<\/p>\n<p>Orlando posts a 116.0 offensive rating when Vucevic is on the floor, and a 90.6 offensive rating when Gordon is on the floor. The Magic now needs other players to bring that offensive momentum back.<\/p>\n<p>Backup center<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/birchkh01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Khem Birch<\/a> <\/strong>will most likely replace Vucevic, but head coach Steve Clifford will most likely experiment with Bich and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bambamo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mohamed Bamba<\/a><\/strong>. The only issue is that Bamba struggles offensively, particularly with getting inside the paint. He was outplayed in Wednesday&#8217;s game, finishing off with only three points and three rebounds in 15 minutes of play.<\/p>\n<p>The Magic need to provide more solid defensive efforts, along with high offensive efficiency in the absence of Vucevic and Gordon. That means that Orlando will play more pick-and-roll style basketball, which requires movement with the defense. Birch and Bamba will have to step up with point guard <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/f\/fultzma01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Markelle Fultz<\/a><\/strong> to successfully fulfill the pick-and-roll in order to maintain the offensive and defensive efficiency.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo<br \/>\n<a id=\"V0h3I4IgS5NNEDvytCGNMA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/469883932\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'V0h3I4IgS5NNEDvytCGNMA',sig:'q7iAPF4TFA9OzCgEB2__Ly8XYSBN9pTJ1O2Ns9ZTutk=',w:'594px',h:'391px',items:'469883932',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following a 113-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night, the Orlando Magic will now have to deal with the loss of their two key players. Magic All-Stars Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon are both out for multiple weeks due to ankle injuries. Orlando Magic Stars Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon Out For Multiple Weeks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2853,"featured_media":27245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,17],"tags":[2260,472,1209,668,1596,96,2506,474,136],"class_list":["post-27234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-magic","tag-2019-20-nba-season","tag-aaron-gordon","tag-khem-birch","tag-markelle-fultz","tag-mohamed-bamba","tag-nba","tag-nba-2019","tag-nikola-vucevic","tag-orlando-magic"],"modified_by":"Matthew Duesing","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2853"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}