Orlando Magic’s dream run to the playoffs is slowly turning into a nightmare. After losing Game 1 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Paolo Banchero and Co. are back on the court for Game 2, hoping to even the series before heading home. But Orlando’s hopes came crashing down early in tonight’s game as their star guard, Jalen Suggs, suffered a horrific injury in the first quarter. While trying to go for a steal on Donovan Mitchell during a step back, Suggs collided with the Cavs superstar. The side of Jalen’s knee directly hit Mitchell’s knee and buckled awkwardly.

Then, the Magic guard immediately fell to the floor, clutching his knee in pain. The blow was so severe that Suggs could not even walk on his own, let alone continue playing. His teammates stepped in to help and carried him off the floor and straight to the locker room. Suggs played 8 minutes and went scoreless before leaving the game. However, he added 3 rebounds to the stat sheet.

As the game went on, Suggs was nowhere to be seen on the court. Then, it was later reported that the 22-year-old guard sustained a left knee strain and was questionable to make an appearance for the remainder of the game. And that raises massive concerns for the Orlando Magic going forward. That is because Suggs has been a key contributor to their success this season.

He averaged 12.6 points in the regular season and dished out nearly three assists per game. Even in Saturday’s Game 1, Suggs added 13 points to the board for Orlando and tried to keep them in competition.

The Orlando Magic struggle in Jalen Suggs’ absence

After Jalen Suggs left the floor because of an injury, the Orlando Magic dug themselves into a deeper hole. It’s safe to say that they struggled and finished the first half, trailing by 14 points in the point guard’s absence. With Suggs out of the lineup, Donovan Mitchell pounced at the opportunity. He finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in the first half. On the other hand, Orlando’s superstar Paolo Banchero crumbled under pressure and had only six points at halftime. That visibly proved a clear lack of playoff experience.

This is Orlando’s first postseason appearance in four years, and they have not tasted a playoff series victory since 2010. For context, the last time they won a series was when Dwight Howard was wreaking havoc on the league and carried the Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals. So, it is understandable why Orlando is struggling against an experienced superstar like Donovan Mitchell. As both teams head into the second half with the Cavs leading 58-44, we might be looking at the Magic going down 0-2 after tonight’s game.

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Miraculously, Jalen Suggs shocked everyone by returning to the floor in the second half.

However, it was already too late to save his team from humiliation. The Cavaliers blew them out 96-86. But it was a good sign that Suggs returned to finish the game. Now the series will head to Orlando with the Magic down 0-2, further increasing Orlando’s chances of an early exit from the playoffs.